


The Center of the Universe

by Mad_Mandy



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Best Friends, Creature Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy & Harry Potter Friendship, Drama & Romance, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Family Bonding, Gay Male Character, Gay Sex, Hogwarts, M/M, Magically Powerful Harry Potter, Male Bonding, Morally Grey Harry Potter, No Underage Sex, Platonic Relationships, Romance, Slow Romance, Soulmates, True Mates, Veela Lucius Malfoy, Veela Mates, Werewolf Mates, With A Twist
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-03-19
Packaged: 2019-03-15 02:25:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 46,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13603605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mad_Mandy/pseuds/Mad_Mandy
Summary: How would Harry's school years have been different with the formidable Lucius Malfoy on his side?  This is my take on a Veela!Lucius soulmate story. It'll be a collection of scenes from Harry's years at Hogwarts, starting with year two. The main relationship (Lucius/Harry) will be platonic until Harry is of age. Draco struggles in vain to keep Harry safe and they eventually become friends. There is also a rather unconventional plot twist involving what Harry is. It will be clear from chapter one that Harry is much more than he seems.





	1. Chapter 1

**< > SECOND YEAR <>**

FLOURISH & BLOTTS

Lucius had planned to play a cruel game with one of Arthur Weasley's children, by placing a dark artifact in her care. It served the double purpose of getting said artifact within Hogwart's walls. Admittedly, Lucius did not know  _everything_  about the book but he knew it was key to opening the Chamber of Secrets once more. He could have sent it with Draco, but the book could very well be dangerous. Besides, it seemed fitting irony that the blood traitor would be instrumental in his plans.

It was after dropping the book in the youngest Weasley's caldron that he laid eyes on Harry Potter for the first time. Harry stepped around the corner of one of the rows of bookcases with a red-headed boy and a bushy-haired brunette with him. However, Lucius could only see Harry.

It was as if everything in the world had been adrift and he had not realized it until everything suddenly snapped into place, in an entirely different arrangement than before. He was stunned to find that center of his universe wasn't what he had thought it was at all.

Harry was so beautiful Lucius ached. He recognized the boy from Draco's descriptions of him, but his imaginings did Harry no justice. In the flesh, the boy was staggering. He was still young,  _far_  too young, but Lucius could see in him the man he would grow to be. More importantly, he knew what Harry would be to him in the future.

Suddenly, he regretted his actions and wished to take the diary back from the Weasley girl. She was clearly a friend of Harry's and Harry would undoubtedly be upset if she were to be hurt. Lucius could care less about the girl or her rotten family, but the idea of Harry's pain was entirely unacceptable.

The Weasley boy walking with Harry got red in the face immediately when he saw Lucius and demanded in outrage, "Are you  _bothering_  my sister?"

The impertinent Weasley boy lumbered forward purposefully, though it was obvious that the foolish child hadn't decided  _what_  exactly he was going to do about Lucius when he reached him.

Without another thought, Lucius yanked the caldron from the red-headed girl's grasp, ignoring her immediate cry of protest in favor of getting back the dark artifact, "I am merely reclaiming what is mine. Do be mindful of where you are and quiet yourself."

The girl flushed and blustered, "I don't know how that got in my caldron but I didn't  _take_  it! I've never even seen it! What would I want with that ratty old book anyway?"

Lucius cast a disdainful, insinuating look at her ratty old hand-me-down clothes and he replied caustically, "I could not  _possibly_  imagine, Miss Weasley. However, this book, despite its appearance, is worth a great deal more than the Weasley vault has  _ever_  seen."

The girl was beat red now, fidgeting with her mottled skirt. It was an disadvantageous trait of the red-heads, to have their emotions revealed so obviously by their skin. The bushy-haired girl embraced her, whispering softly to her in a conciliatory tone. The red-headed boy shouted, "Don't you dare speak to her like that, you git! You've no right!"

"Language, boy, and mind your volume," Lucius replied in a cool, unimpressed tone. "You are making a  _spectacle_  of yourself."

Lucius allowed himself a glance at Harry. The boy was looking between his friend and Lucius with eyes that missed nothing. Those emerald eyes met and held his own. They were eyes that had seen too much, that  _knew_  too much, and that saw right through him. They were  _not_  a child's eyes.

Harry looked away first, reaching out and grabbing his red-headed friend's arm before saying quietly, "Let's purchase our books and leave. If you don't like what he says, there is no reason to stay here and listen to him. You can't lose your head over such impersonal pettiness."

The bush-haired girl eyed Harry with a look of surprise and confusion. Harry stepped past Lucius and Lucius caught a waft of his scent in the boy's wake. He committed it to memory.

The male Weasley and the two girls followed Harry automatically. The Weasley boy glared at Lucius until he was past him then looked at Harry and questioned, "Since when do you act so smart, eh? You sound like Hermione. 'Impersonal pettiness'? Hah!"

The bushy-haired girl slapped his arm and the younger red-head giggled. Harry threw a grin back at his friend and said proudly, "It sounded impressive, right? I was trying to channel Snape. I remembered the bat saying something like that once. Who was that blond bloke? He was a right git."

The bushy-haired girl lost her contemplative look and rolled her eyes.

Lucius noted the shift in Harry's tone and manner. The boy was a good actor and good at blending in with his peers. Yet, Lucius recognized the boy was a great deal more intelligent and perceptive than he put on. As the group exited the store, Harry paused in the doorway and looked back, meeting Lucius's gaze directly. Harry looked back outside at his friends and he said, "I'll meet you there in a minute. I forgot one of the transfiguration books."

The door fell closed and Harry strode across the bookstore, ignoring Lucius entirely.

Lucius doubted now that the boy had intended to speak with him privately, but he wasn't about to pass up the opportunity regardless. He waited a full minute then followed the boy to the back of the store, to the transfiguration aisle. Harry had a textbook tucked under his arm and he had another heavy book spread in hand, glancing through it with voracious curiosity. Lucius noted it was an advanced book on the animagi arts.

Lucius murmured quietly, "An indisputably advantageous and laudable skill. Your interest is commendable."

Harry closed the book and set it back on the shelf with reluctance, giving Lucius his full attention. Lucius could see that the boy had expected him and had waited for him. His pulse hammered in his veins and he was thrilled to have captured the interest of the boy who would one day be his mate. Harry replied just as quietly, "I agree. The uses of an animal form would be limited only by a lack of imagination. Unfortunately, I am too young to purchase books on the subject and if there are any books about it in the library at Hogwarts, they are hidden in the restricted section and I have not found them."

Harry was considering him with a serious expression, "Admittedly, I am more interested in the dark artifact you're holding. Or rather, why you would give it to Ginny only to take it back a moment later. I watched you slip it into her caldron."

Lucius let out his breath slowly and silently, then replied, "Call it a change of heart."

"You do not seem to care about the Weasleys in the slightest."

"I do not," Lucius replied, holding Harry's gaze. He would never lie to his mate, even to gain his mate's favor. Lucius raised the book in his hand, taking two steps closer and whispering softly, "This belonged to the one who gave you your scar. It is the key to opening Salazar Slytherin's Chamber of Secrets. I have been instructed by one I must not name to see that the book is placed within the walls of Hogwarts. I have only conjecture beyond that."

Harry frowned slightly and his expression was carefully guarded, "Why tell me this?"

"I want you to be prepared," Lucius replied earnestly. "The familiar of Salazar Slytherin lives within the Chamber. Those of mixed blood  _will_  be endangered when the Chamber is opened. The last time it happened, a muggle-born student was killed. In the unlikely event you happen upon the creature, you must  _never_  meet its gaze - directly or indirectly."

"You are talking about a basilisk," Harry said gravely.

Lucius inclined his head. Harry questioned, "Why would you release such a monster?"

"I have little choice in the matter, Harry. My master will return and I must not be found to be disloyal. I must obey the commands I have been given."

"What is to stop me from going to Dumbledore?" Harry asked curiously.

"I dearly hope that you will, Harry. No one knows the location of the Chamber of Secrets, not even me, but if you act quickly Dumbledore will take steps to protect the students."

Harry questioned bluntly, "Why are you  _really_  telling me this?"

Lucius knew what he was asking but he replied evasively, "I am of mixed blood. Draco is of mixed blood. We have creature blood - veela blood."

Harry nodded and seemed to accept this explanation at face value, but Lucius knew that Harry would believe that the truth was something other than the truth Lucius had actually been alluding to. Harry would think that Lucius was worried about Draco's safety. Only, Draco would  _not_  be at risk when the monster was released. Their bloodline might not be entirely human but it  _was_  purely magical and that was all that Salazar's monster would care about.

No, Lucius was telling Harry these secrets because Harry was meant to be his one day and Lucius would  _always_  protect what was his.


	2. Chapter 2

**< > SECOND YEAR <>**

MALFOY MANOR

"Draco, I need to speak with you."

The young blond looked up from his textbook and frowned at Lucius's tone, "Yes, father? What is wrong?"

Lucius considered his son for a moment then decided there was little point in attempting to break the news to him gently, "Harry Potter will be my mate one day."

As was to be expected, shock and outrage instantly twisted Draco's features. He threw his book away from himself in a fit of fury as he worked himself up into a rather remarkable tantrum, "No! Father,  _anyone_  but him! You cannot be serious! I won't have that little prick buggering my father! I hate him! I  _hate_  him! He's horrible! Unbearable!"

Draco was screaming now - a complete and utter breakdown in decorum.

"Draco, you  _will_  conduct yourself in a manner befitting your name," Lucius growled fiercely. He had to fight down his own anger and remind himself that he would have to get used to people saying terrible things about his mate, if he was to stay a Death Eater.

He would  _have_  to stay a Death Eater in order to protect his son, his friends, and his mate. He also knew he would be of most help to Harry by staying close to Harry's enemies.

Draco's face fell at the rebuke and he whispered despairingly, "I  _hate_  him, father."

"No, you are jealous of him," Lucius corrected in a marginally gentler tone.

Draco's shoulders slumped and he sighed, running a hand over his hair to ensure it was laying smoothly. He admitted grudgingly, under his breath, "Well, it is hard  _not_  to be."

The admission seemed painful for Draco so Lucius let the mumbling slide. Lucius placed a hand on his son's shoulder and said, "You don't have to change the way you treat him in public. It is better for you that you do not. I only ask that you try to change the way you think about him, because one day he  _will_  be family to you and you will need to respect him as you would me."

Draco sighed and nodded reluctantly, "I'll try, father."

"Thank you, Draco. I would rather wait until Harry is of age before I tell him exactly what he means to me so please refrain from mentioning it - directly or otherwise. Additionally, it could be dangerous for all of us, if anyone else were to find out."

"You plan to continue to serve the Dark Lord then?" Draco questioned with trepidation.

"No one openly betrays the Dark Lord and lives," Lucius replied gravely. "He must not know where my loyalties truly lie."

Lucius paused then decided to elaborate, "I believe I will be able to help Harry most in this coming war by remaining by his enemy's side. I am not capable of killing the Dark Lord, but I can provide Harry with information. Furthermore, if the unthinkable ever occurs and Harry were to be captured by the Dark Lord or…  _otherwise_  endangered, I would be in a prime position to save him."

"How can you expect to win Pot- _Harry_  over if he believes you are a Death Eater?" Draco questioned astutely.

"I revealed to him the Dark Lord's plan to open the Chamber of Secrets," Lucius replied, without much concern. "I essentially told him that I serve the Dark Lord only because I must. I will do my best to earn his trust and respect in other ways. Harry is far more intelligent than you or anyone else gives him credit for. I think he will judge me fairly."

Lucius hoped so anyways. He considered that sobering thought for a moment then pushed it out of his mind and added, "I plan to write to him soon and I will tell him then that if he needs to contact me, he may do so through you. Return correspondence from him to me would not be wise. He does not have the knowledge or resources necessary to send anonymous and untraceable correspondence. That bird of his is also highly distinguishable as well. So, can I rely on you, Draco?"

Draco pressed his lips together in an affronted expression, "Of  _course_  you can, Father."

Lucius knew that Draco's pride wouldn't allow for anything else. Lucius nodded once and returned to his desk. He focused once again on attempting to compose his first letter to Harry. He'd already rewritten it twice. Perhaps something simple and concise would be more apt than lengthy prose? Lucius wished he knew more about Harry's true character, in order to be better able to judge how the boy would respond to certain phrasing. Lucius had never had such trouble writing a single letter in his life.

Lucius also wished, in vain, that Draco was a reliable narrator when it came to his stories about Harry. However, everything Draco had ever told Lucius about Harry did not fit with Lucius's first impression of the Boy-Who-Lived. Lucius wondered if  _anyone_  truly knew who Harry Potter was. Draco had said before that Harry was inseparable from his little friends - that they were known as the golden trio or some such similarly sickening nonsense - yet Lucius had seen clear proof that Harry wore a mask even with those who were supposedly his best friends.

Draco questioned, "Father?"

Lucius looked up once more, startled form his thoughts. Harry Potter was driving him to distraction. He should really just send the damn letter already.

"Yes, Draco, what is it?"

"Does mother know yet? Or should I refrain from talking about this with her too?"

Lucius smiled slightly and shook his head, "She has already been made aware, Draco, but thank you for your consideration. You should know I tell your mother everything."

Narcissa and Lucius's marriage was one of convenience but, as far as mutually beneficial arrangements went, they both considered themselves quite lucky to have each other. Lucius was more Veela than anything else so he'd always known he would eventually find and fall in love with his true mate. Narcissa, as it just so happened, was a lesbian. They'd known each other since they were children and she was a very dear person to Lucius. He considered her to be one of his only true friends.

"I know, I just haven't seen her in a while," Draco said. "Is she visiting that woman again?"

Lucius knew that Draco resented Marcella - mostly because he didn't like that Marcella occupied so much of his mother's time.

Lucius raised a prim brow at his son's blatant disrespect, "You will not refer to your mother's lover as 'that woman' in my presence, Draco. You may refer to her as Mistress Arris. Where are your manners today? Your mother would flay you alive if she heard you being so rude."

Draco sighed and Lucius raised both brows now, "Keep that up and I promise you, you  _will_  regret it. If you want to act like a hateful child then you're not too old for a few well-placed stinging hexes applied to your rear."

Draco looked appalled but he was obviously afraid Lucius would actually do it - as he well should have been - so he picked up his textbook off the floor and resumed studying for the school year ahead. Lucius's smirk went unseen.

[][][][][]

GRYFFINDOR TOWER, HOGWARTS

_To a boy far older than his years: the keys to the door._

_I wish you every success._

_Should you ever need to contact me, you may do so through my son._

_Most sincerely yours,_

_L.M._

A slow smile turned Harry's lips as he looked down at the stack of books before him. Each was written on the topic of Animagus Transformation.

He did wonder if Lucius had discussed this "contacting me through my son" bit with Draco or if he just expected Draco to actually  _listen_  to Harry. Harry chuckled quietly and ran a finger reverently over the embossed cover of the first book.

Harry was highly interested in where this would lead. Lucius was obviously attempting to endear himself to Harry for some unknown reason. Perhaps he was merely trying to play both sides. However, whatever Lucius actually wanted from Harry, Harry could see that there might be significant benefits to be gained if he entertained him.

Harry resolved to bide his time for now and wait and see.


	3. Chapter 3

**< > SECOND YEAR <>**

HOGWARTS

So far, Draco had spent the school year trying to make sure nothing horrible happened to Harry while also trying to act as if he still hated the Boy Who Lived. It wasn't difficult to pretend, really. He might not hate Harry but that didn't mean he  _liked_  him.

As for keeping Harry safe though, that was proving to be  _plenty_  difficult and maybe even impossible. Draco found out on the very first day that Harry and Weasley had flown to school in a modified muggle car  _of all things_  and crashed it straight into the  _whomping willow_! How could Draco be reasonably expected to protect a person who was obviously hellbent on their own destruction?

Oh and that first day had  _really_  set the tone for the year, hadn't it?

Draco had  _thought_  things were looking up, at first. After all, he managed to earn the position of Seeker on the Slytherin team and his father had been so proud he'd donated new, top-of-the-line brooms for the entire team. Draco's social status amongst his peers was better than it had ever been. Then, during Draco's  _very first game_  a rogue Bludger had ruined everything by clobbering Harry and breaking his arm. It'd turned out okay in the end,  _but_   _still_. Draco had nearly had a heart attack.

It was insult to injury that Harry had managed to catch the snitch anyway and win the game. Draco's father had been at the game too and it hurt Draco to suspect that his own father might actually be secretly rooting for Gryffindor this year, because of Harry. Draco had been determined to catch the snitch his first game, to  _prove_  to his father that he was a better seeker than Harry. So much for that.

Draco's father had been furious over the bludger incident and he'd demanded an official investigation. He'd acted like it was Draco's safety he'd been worried about, not Harry's, but Draco knew the truth. It stung a little, but Draco didn't blame him. It helped that Draco knew that if he  _had_  been in danger, then his father would have definitely been just as worried and just as angry on his behalf.

Then, in a twist Draco really hadn't seen coming, it turned out one of the  _Malfoy house elves_  were to blame for the bludger incident  _and_  for Harry missing the train! It should have been impossible but apparently Dobby had taken it upon himself to protect his master's mate with the most insane and convoluted plan Draco had ever heard.

Harry had confessed to Draco privately that the little creature Dobby was making a nuisance of himself in some deeply misguided attempt to save Harry's life by forcing him to leave Hogwarts. Harry had managed to figure out who Dobby's family was and he'd hoped that either Draco or Draco's father could call Dobby off -  _without_  punishing the house elf too severely.

Dobby's heart was in the right place, after all, Harry had said. Draco really didn't know if that particular request for a mild punishment had been honored, though. He knew his father must have been absolutely  _beside himself_  with rage when he'd received Draco's message. Draco had sent a letter to his mother as well, hoping she would be able to talk her husband down from doing anything he might later regret.

Veela males could be quickly provoked to excessive violence when their mates were threatened but Draco also knew his father wouldn't want to do anything to alienate Harry, if it could be avoided. Draco really wasn't sure if instinct or rationality had won out and he hadn't dared to ask. He suspected the truth and didn't want it confirmed. He didn't need  _that_  weighing on his conscious.

Then there was the catastrophic debacle that resulted in the Chamber of Secrets being opened once again. Draco's father had left the diary out in the open after a Board of Directors meeting so neither of them knew who had found the diary, but Draco suspected it was Lavender Brown. Brown had been acting unusually subdued and just generally suspicious. Gryffindors were  _so bad_  at trying to be sneaky.

Draco didn't know how Brown, of all people, was managing to outwit the  _entire staff_.

He also wondered what Dumbledore was playing at - Harry had given the headmaster plenty of warning and yet, very little was being done to protect the students. The measures being taken appeared to be more superficial than anything. Several students had been petrified already and it was just pure luck that no one had died yet. Neither Draco nor his father had expected things to get so far out of hand so quickly. Dumbledore  _should_  have been able to put a quick stop to it, but he hadn't.

Draco had never been so stressed out in all his life and it was all Harry Potter's fault.

Draco thought the Dueling Club would be a fun distraction from his rather miserable year so far. He knew Harry would be there too, but that was fine. The class would be supervised and Harry  _shouldn't_  be able to endanger himself unless he  _tried_.

Draco was most displeased, however, that Lockhart was one of the two teachers leading the club. Severus, he understood and respected. Severus was a highly accomplished dueler. Lockhart, on the other hand, was so stupid he was a danger to others. It was clear to Draco that the man was a fraud. He could  _almost_  appreciate that the man had built himself up to such great fame without possessing any of the skills he claimed to have, but Lockhart's demeanor was  _incredibly_   _irritating_.

So, it was supremely satisfying to see Lockhart knocked to the floor after a single spell from Severus. It was astounding to Draco that  _anyone_  believed there was  _anything_  more to Lockhart than bravado and showmanship. Yet apparently, you could throw a bloody blasting curse in this school and hit at least ten idiots without even aiming.

Draco resolved to ignore anything Lockhart said and just focus on Severus instead.

Then Severus paired Draco with Harry for the first student duel. Draco decided he was going to have  _very_  harsh words for his godfather, later, in private. The infuriating man knew damn well that Draco's father would  _literally murder_  Draco if Draco dared to harm one hair on his  _precious_  mate-to-be's head. Severus had a cruel and sadistic sense of humor.

Draco was stuck between a rock and a hard place, again. He couldn't actually harm Harry but he also couldn't look like he was trying  _not_ to harm Harry. It was too much to ask of anyone, wasn't it?

Draco realized he was feeling sorry for himself.

"Scared, Potter?" He asked, trying to sound threatening or at least  _mocking_.

Harry ignored him and cast a disarming spell instead, just like Severus had. Draco blocked it as quickly as he could, to avoid an embarrassingly fast end to the duel. Draco would eat his own wand before he let Harry do to him what Severus had done to Lockhart. They exchanged a few spells and it incited him to no end that Harry didn't really seem to be trying. Harry called out all of his spells loudly and clearly, making it impossible for Draco  _not_  to know what was coming, well in advance. Draco suspected that the irritating prat was doing it on purpose, as a sort of handicap for Draco.

Draco didn't  _need_  Harry to go easy on him. Draco knew plenty of spells Harry didn't. For Merlin's sake, Harry had been raised by  _muggles_  and Draco had been studying magic since before he could even read.

Draco summoned a snake, because he had an reputation to maintain and the spell was as gray as he could get without landing himself in detention through the end of the month. Everyone gasped and hastily stepped back from the dueling platform.

Even  _Harry_  seemed surprised, so Draco was satisfied.

Lockhart tried and failed to banish the snake in a display that Draco would have found hilarious if it wasn't so pathetic. As it was, it only served to further antagonize the snake.

The cobra turned its attention to a victim closer than Harry, which happened to be uh… Finch-Fidley? Flinch-Fletch? Fen-Fiddle? If it wasn't one of those combinations Draco was sure that it was something equally dumb-sounding.

Flinch-Finley tried to move away but the snake didn't like that and it hissed in warning, bobbing as if it would dearly like to strike.

Things were getting out of hand and Draco was beginning to think he'd made a miscalculation - the snake on its own would have been perfectly fine but Draco  _hadn't_  taken into account what a blabbering idiot Lockhart was.

Severus stepped past Draco to deal with the creature, forced to take corrective action to maintain some semblance of safety and order. Draco relaxed once more, relieved. Severus cast Draco an annoyed glance as he passed him. Draco withheld a smirk - served the man right for making Draco duel Harry.

Then a loud hissing rang out through the room and everyone went utterly silent. Severus stopped in his tracks, just as shocked as everyone else. Draco thought they were probably all thinking the same thing.

Surely that sibilant sound hadn't just come from Harry Potter?

Harry's vibrant green eyes were fixed on the snake and he didn't seem to notice the way everyone had reacted. Draco watched Harry with horrified fascination as the hissing came again, accompanied with subtle lip movements from Harry. It was  _definitely_  Harry talking.

Draco had heard many stories about the language of the snakes and it was a dream for all Slytherin students, to be a parselmouth. Not that it worked that way, of course, you had to be born with the ability. Go figure that the golden boy of Gryffindor would possess such a coveted Slytherin trait. Really, it was more than a Slytherin could be expected to bear!

Draco had never actually heard parseltongue spoken. It sent chills up and down his spine and made goosebumps rise on his skin. He listened with baited breath, trying to commit the sounds to memory. It all sounded pretty much the same but there were slight differentiations in tone and affliction that were similar to human languages. The snake had turned its head and it seemed to be listening to Harry with great interest.

Draco had no idea what Harry was saying but Draco knew he would  _definitely_  be trying to replicate the sounds later tonight when he was alone in his bed and surrounded by silencing charms. It wouldn't be the first time he'd pretended to be a parselmouth but it would be the first time he might actually be able to form a few real parseltongue syllables.

Severus abruptly destroyed the snake, putting an end to the show. Draco could make out a tell-tale tremor in the man's hand, but everyone else was still focused on Harry. Draco knew his godfather had heard parseltongue spoken before. Severus was probably remembering the Dark Lord.

Draco felt a tinge of pity and guilt. Draco had been excited by the sounds of parseltongue but Severus had probably been afraid.

Draco belatedly realized that everyone seemed to think that Harry had been egging the snake on. Which was patently ridiculous, of course. Then Draco realized how bad this was going to be for Harry. All of these stupid children were going to think Harry was the Heir of Slytherin.

Sure enough, the rumors spread fast and Harry went from hero to villain in the space of a day. There was not much Draco could do about it either, except to scoff at the rumors and insist 'Perfect Potter' couldn't  _possibly_  be Slytherin's Heir.

Draco needed help so he wrote to his father to tell him what was going on. His father would at least be able to keep it out of the papers. That would make things  _slightly_  better for Harry, though it wouldn't stop the rumors within the school.

The next day, the papers still ran the story about Harry Potter being a parselmouth but it was twisted beyond recognition into something Draco hadn't even imagined possible. There was not a shred of negativity to be found. The only comparisons made were favorable comparisons to prominent parselmouth witches and wizards throughout history, who were decidedly  _not_  evil (as far as anyone knew). The way the stories spun it, being a parselmouth was merely an ancient trait shared by many who also happened to be singularity brilliant. The stories focused on the fact that parselmouths could usually also talk to dragons and that  _this_  was the most important use for their talents. Before the parselmouth trait had been carelessly bred into obscurity, it'd been a  _requirement_  for dragon tamers of the past. Everything dragon tamers knew today had been passed down by parselmouth dragon tamers.

There was so much praise for Harry it was almost sickening.

'Well played, father,' Draco thought, both amused and impressed. If the general public's attention was  _diverted_  from the fact that the Dark Lord had been a parselmouth, the history of parselmouths could actually seem rather  _good_. If people realized that parseltongue was  _not_  be inherently evil then there was no way they'd think their savior could be the Heir of Slytherin. No one  _wanted_  to believe Harry was evil. They just needed a better explanation to latch onto.

Suddenly it was cool to be a parselmouth and a lot of the non-Slytherin students were wishing they were parselmouths too. Some of the Gryffindors sitting by Harry asked him to try to make the sounds so they could attempt to replicate them.

People even started thinking that if they knew a few parseltongue words then they'd be able to protect themselves from whatever Slytherin's monster was. Most people didn't realize the monster was a basilisk - even though it was perfectly obvious - but everyone assumed that it was some type of serpent because of Slytherin's fondness for them.

It was frightening how easily the public opinion could be changed.

Draco hoped Harry appreciated his father's efforts. Manipulations on this scale didn't come cheap and, in order to influence the very next day's headlines,  _many_  favors would have had to be called in as well.

Harry met Draco's gaze from across the Great Hall and Draco thought that maybe, the other boy  _did_  understand. Harry gave him a nod and faint smile, his green eyes brighter than Draco had seen in weeks.

Harry's gratitude gave Draco an odd sense of pleased satisfaction that he was careful not to examine too closely. He told himself he didn't care what Harry thought.

But the truth was, he  _always_  had.


	4. Chapter 4

**< > SECOND YEAR <>**

SLYTHERIN DUNGEONS, HOGWARTS

Draco was laying in bed, awake at an ungodly hour, hissing nonsensically to himself and imagining how people would treat him if he were actually Slytherin's Heir. His housemates would treat him like a god! There was a slim possibility that if he practiced the hissing often enough he might become good enough at it to convince other people he  _was_  a parselmouth. They'd be hard pressed to prove he wasn't one, wouldn't they? Unless they tried to make him talk to a real snake, of course. Draco frowned at this thought then cast it aside. He could easily pretend that whatever the snake did, it was because of his words. He was confident. If someone as dumb as Lockhart could become a celebrity then Draco was going to be a  _king._

Draco let out an undignified squawk when Harry materialized out of thin air directly beside him. He clutched his chest and blurted, " _Gods_ , Harry, you nearly  _killed_  me! What are you  _doing_  here?  _How_  did you even get in here?"

Draco's eyes narrowed suspiciously - was that an  _invisibility cloak_  Harry was holding?

Harry's expression was serious and he didn't react at all to Draco's shock and mortification. Draco prayed that meant that Harry hadn't realized what Draco was doing.

"I need you to get a message to your father for me, Draco."

Draco sobered up in an instant, forgetting all about invisibility cloaks and his own embarrassing fantasies, "Are you in some kind of trouble?"

He couldn't let anything happen to Harry - this was his father's future mate after all. Harry ignored the question and replied, "You must tell him that a student has been taken into the Chamber of Secrets and may soon be dead. If that happens, Voldemort  _will_  rise again."

Draco's eyes went wide with immediate panic and he demanded shrilly, "Buggering hell, why aren't you telling  _Dumbledore_?! I'm  _twelve_ , I can't  _deal_  with this!"

Harry grabbed Draco's shoulders and gave him a hard shake, " _He is not_   _here_ , Draco, and none of the other teachers can be relied upon.  _Maybe_  they would succeed if they made a combined effort, but by the time I convince them what is happening and they manage to organize themselves, it would be far too late. Do you understand?"

"Gods have mercy," Draco muttered faintly, hopelessness taking hold quickly. The Dark Lord was going to rise again and everyone Draco cared about would suffer.

Harry shook Draco again, " _Listen to me_ , I am going to  _deal_  with the monster, but in the event I should fail, the Auror Corps will need to be dispatched immediately to the school. At the same time, the Board of Governors will need to evacuate the students and close the school to prevent further casualties."

"Wait, deal with the monster?" Draco latched onto these words and sudden anger cut through his overwhelming fear. "The hell you are! It's a  _basilisk_ , Harry! Why must you always insist upon playing the bloody hero? You're going to get yourself  _killed_ and then my father is going to kill  _me_."

Harry appeared impatient, "I don't have  _time_  to argue with you, Draco. I need you to relay my message. Can you do that or can you not?"

Draco hesitated then spat out, "Just, wait one second, I'm coming with you."

Harry frowned and replied severely, "You most assuredly are not."

Harry sounded so much like Draco's father in that moment that Draco was almost cowed, but then Draco pulled himself together, "You can either incapacitate me, in which case my father will  _never_  get your message, or you can swear to take me with you."

"Fine."

Draco hadn't expected Harry to agree so quickly and he couldn't help but be suspicious, "We have a deal? You swear it on your family's name and honor?"

"We do and I do," Harry insisted. "Send the message!"

Draco smirked and bit his thumb hard before pressing the bloodied appendage to the ornate ring on his right index finger and intoning sardonically, "Harry has asked you to contact the Board of Governors, evacuate the students and close the school. Dumbledore is out of the picture for now. We need the Auror Corps too. Harry plans to subdue the monster himself and he says that if he fails the Dark Lord will rise. Not sure how. I suggest you come as quickly as you possibly can, father, before Harry gets the both of us killed."

Draco removed his thumb, still smirking at Harry. Harry did not react, instead turning and heading off at a run, not bothering to wait for Draco or put on his invisibility cloak - if that is what it actually was. Draco cursed, grabbed his wand, and chased after Harry in his pajamas. Once they were out of the Slytherin dorms he whisper-shouted, "What  _exactly_  is your grand plan?"

Harry's head turned back for a second and green eyes flashed at him in the dark, "I'm going to find the big snake and kill it."

Draco was only barely able to keep himself from tackling and  _strangling_  the black-haired boy, "I can't  _believe_  you're making jokes right now!"

"I never professed to having a clever plan, only a goal," Harry replied dryly.

"How can you be so calm?" Draco demanded. "You're 12 years old, just like me. No 12-year-old should be calm about running off to kill a bloody basilisk. You act as if you do this every day. Where are we even going?"

Harry stopped and Draco found himself standing in front of a girls lavatory. Before he could ask, Harry stepped through the door. Draco groaned and followed him, "Potter, I  _really_  hate to ask, but you do know this room is exclusively for women, don't you?"

The bathroom was dimly lit and eerily quiet. Harry turned and said, "It is also the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets."

Draco stared at Harry in disbelief, "Oh great, you're completely insane, aren't you?"

"Draco, I don't  _want_  you to follow me," Harry replied. "You know where the Chamber is now, and you can tell your father and Dumbledore. If you follow me it will be more dangerous for you than you're imagining and I cannot promise I'll be able to protect you. There will be a basilisk down there, as you know, and there will also be a Horcrux - a fragment of the Dark Lord's soul. If I am right, then that splinter of soul is currently feeding upon Lavender Brown in an attempt to gain a corporeal form. I must kill the serpent so that I can get to the Horcrux and destroy it before it's too late. A student's life is in jeopardy and we'll  _all_  be in danger if the Dark Lord returns. Make your decision and make it wisely but I will not delay even a single moment longer."

A loud, terrifying hiss exploded from Harry's mouth and Draco just stared at him, beyond words. The hiss echoed ominously... and then the room began to move and a gaping black hole was revealed.

Harry strode forward without hesitation and jumped down into that ominous pit.


	5. Chapter 5

**< > SECOND YEAR <>**

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS, HOGWARTS

Draco waited a full minute. His pulse was pounding loud enough for him to hear it. Then, before he could think better of it, he followed after Harry. He cast a feather-light charm on himself and cushioning charms downwards - as many as he possibly could before he landed. The floor he dropped down onto was covered in bones and other debris that hurt Draco's bare feet, even with the cushioning charms. Draco quickly cast a simple protective spell at his feet, having no time to conjure proper shoes.

Harry was standing before a giant steel door and it was swinging open. Emerald eyes met his stare briefly and Harry commanded, "Stay close to me."

They stepped through the dank stone tunnels together. Harry strode forward confidently and without even a trace of fear. Draco stayed close, trying not to think about  _what_  he was stepping in and also trying to be as quiet as possible. Despite his best intentions, he couldn't help but gasp when the tunnel suddenly opened up into a enormous hall.

Draco supposed it was more appropriate to think of it as an enormous  _chamber_.

A handsome young male stood in the middle of the room, gazing down dispassionately at the limp form of Lavender Brown. Draco didn't recognize the young man with her - he wore a slytherin uniform but Draco knew  _everyone_  in Slytherin. There was something about the stranger that frightened Draco, something Draco couldn't quite put his finger on. Draco had a sudden flash of understanding and just as quickly, he wished that he  _hadn't_  figured it out. He felt numb with terror.

Harry had said that a fragment of  _the_   _Dark Lord's soul_  would be down here but Draco hadn't had time to let that sink in… or maybe he just hadn't actually believed it. Draco believed it now and Harry had been right - Draco should have stayed behind. They were both going to die.

Harry gestured to Draco to stay back but he didn't take his eyes off of the young man in front of them as he called out coolly, "Hello, Tom."

The handsome face contorted, "Don't call me that, half-blood. You're too late to stop me. The girl will soon perish and Lord Voldemort will rise again."

Draco trembled, taking several steps backwards. Harry replied, "We'll see."

Draco's eyes bulged wide with horror and panic as Harry spoke the incantation for fiendfyre. How did Harry  _know_  such a spell? The Dark Lord screamed with rage as the fire encircled him and attempted to burn him alive.

Draco screamed, "Harry -  _Lavender,_ you'll  _kill_  her!"

Draco had never cared for Brown, but Draco wasn't as heartless as he often pretended to be. Harry ignored him and Draco's heart sunk. Movement of stone was audible above the hellish roar of the fiendfyre. Draco stumbled back until he was pressed against the wall, watching as an enormous, eighty-foot snake passed through the hole that had opened in the far wall.

Draco was paralyzed with fear and he could not look away, even knowing the risk of meeting the creature's gaze. It was one thing to read about such a creature and another thing entirely to see one in person. It was beyond belief even when it was right in front of him. When Draco had used the word 'basilisk' before, Draco hadn't  _completely_  understood what sort of creature he was talking about. He hadn't felt any fear before when he was just  _talking_  about it. He'd been cocky - assured of his own personal safety because of his purely magical blood and the legends about Salazar Slytherin. He hadn't realized until now how very foolish he'd been. This was not a creature of  _discriminating_   _tastes_. It was a true monster.

The fiendfyre was quenched under a torrential rush of water when Harry was forced to turn his full attention to the snake. Steam enveloped the room, almost hot enough to burn. When Draco could see again, he could tell that the Dark Lord was hissing at the serpent and his tone was commanding. Fierce parseltongue words slipped from Harry's tongue as well and he was gesturing emphatically. The serpent looked back and forth between the two parselmouth wizards, but ultimately, the creature turned on Harry and it's yellow eyes glowed with an unholy light.

"I've had too much time to bend the creature to my will, boy!" The Dark Lord said, laughing triumphantly. "It would not  _dare_  listen to you over me!"

"Then the creature's death will be on your hands, not mine," Harry replied grimly.

Harry conjured a gleaming sword out of thin air and charged towards his death head on. Draco screamed out a warning as the monster moved to swallow Harry whole and Harry did not make any move to get out of the way. At the last possible second, Harry turned his sword upwards and pierced the monster through the roof of its mouth - mindful of the wicked fangs. It was a fatal wound, without question. The creature's nerves twitched in the throws of sudden death. There was so much blood.  _Incredible_  amounts of blood.

Harry turned to the Dark Lord and Draco's gut twisted as he realized Harry's eyes were firmly shut - he had faced the basilisk with  _closed eyes_. Dark lashes parted and Harry's expression revealed such undiluted contempt that Draco was afraid of him. Harry had certainly never looked at  _Draco_  like that. Draco had never realized Harry was  _capable_  of feeling such dark emotion.

"A bloody waste, Tom," Harry snarled, "such a bloody waste."

' _Tom'_  looked paler now and maybe even  _worried_ , "You're just a child."

Harry smirked as he broke a fang free from the basilisk's gaping mouth, "You're just a diary."

He darted forward and the Dark Lord shrieked - long and furious and inhuman. Draco had expected Harry to attack the man but Harry dropped to his knees and plunged the fang through a small leather-bound book on the floor. The image of the black-eyed young man flickered and the walls trembled and then… the Dark Lord was just…  _gone_.

Harry turned to examine Lavender, who seemed miraculously unharmed. Harry looked at Draco, "She is alive yet but we need to get her medical attention soon."

Harry's eyes moved over Draco's face and his intense gaze gentled. He questioned softly, "Are you alright, Draco?"

Draco swallowed and forced his locked legs into motion, slowly stepping forward, "Y-Yeah... fine…"

His voice trembled, much to his mortification, but Harry did not make fun of him. When he drew close Harry stood and clapped a hand on Draco's shoulder, meeting his gaze solidly, "You did well, Draco. The danger has passed."

Draco scoffed weakly and looked down at the seared stone, "I was so terrified I didn't even think to raise my wand, but you…"

Harry's hand squeezed lightly on his shoulder, "You must not compare yourself to me, Draco. In some respects you have been right about me - I'm a freak of nature. I have uncommon power and an uncommon upbringing. What I mean to say is, I was forced to grow up very quickly and I am not used to relying on others. For your first trial you did well. You did not run and you did not faint. You had the presence of mind to fear for others besides yourself and so, I know if I had needed your aid, you  _would_  have found the will to help me. You have endured a terrible trial and you will be stronger for it - and maybe also wiser for it."

Draco raised his head and met Harry's solemn gaze. Slowly, he nodded. He was astounded and humbled that Harry would say such things to him. Harry smiled at him briefly then said, "You must not speak of what you saw here tonight, Draco. It is best that no one knows that I possess this kind of power or resolve. It is best for others to believe that I get by on luck. I don't mean anything nefarious by it, I'm just doing my best to survive. Do you understand me?"

Draco slowly nodded, "My father... He will want to know, but I will tell no one else. You have my solemn oath as a Malfoy."

Harry considered him a moment then nodded and released his shoulder, "That is acceptable. I believe I can trust Lord Malfoy."

"You can," Draco assured Harry immediately. "You  _absolutely_  can. If you can only trust one person in the world and no one else, you can trust my father. No matter what."

Draco knew that his father would readily die for Harry, if need be.

A strange look flickered in Harry's eyes then he smiled a little, "I believe you truly mean that. Come, we need to see to Lavender. You might also wish to call off your father. He need not come."


	6. Chapter 6

**< > SECOND YEAR <>**

INFIRMARY, HOGWARTS

Draco and Harry were sitting in the infirmary, being fussed over by Madam Pomfrey, when Lucius Malfoy stormed in. Madam Pomfrey looked up with wide eyes, "Mister Malfoy? You can't just barge in here! What are you even doing in the school at this time of the night?"

"My son's life was endangered tonight and I will  _not_  leave without assuring myself that he is unharmed," Lucius replied frostily. "What kind of school is that Headmaster of yours running?"

Madam Pomfrey looked flustered and she hedged, "Mister Malfoy, the boys are perfectly fine and there is absolutely no proof that what they say is true. The Chamber is more legend than reality and-"

"Are you  _insinuating_  that my son is a  _liar_?" Lucius whispered dangerously. "Quite the  _hypocrite_  aren't you?"

Madam Pomfrey floundered a moment, obviously speechless. Lucius made a dismissive, shooing motion with his hand, looking throughly disgusted, "I wish to speak to my son privately."

Madam Pomfrey huffed but left the room - she was obviously glad for the excuse not to have to deal with Lucius any longer and that was exactly what Lucius wanted. He only hoped she wasn't going to fetch reinforcements.

Lucius promptly cast powerful privacy wards and silencing charms about them, making a point to keep the bed of Lavender Brown out of the ring. Lucius looked between the boys and questioned intently, "You  _are_  both unharmed, yes?"

Draco nodded and offered, "Harry slew the basilisk and dealt with the diary too, father. It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen."

Lucius briefly noted his son's use of Harry's first name and his relaxed, familiar tone. The compliment was also surprising. Lucius looked back at Harry and his voice was strained as he said, "You should  _not_  have been so reckless, Harry. You could have both been killed."

"I only did what was necessary," Harry replied calmly. "I assure you, no one wishes it could have been avoided more than I do."

"I beg to differ," Draco interjected immediately. "I'm quite sure I regret it all significantly more than you do. Next time you want to save the day, leave me out of it."

Lucius was taken aback when Harry smiled at Draco and touched his shoulder in a genuine sort of camaraderie, murmuring lowly, "You're not fooling me, Draco. I know now that I can rely on you in extraordinarily difficult circumstances."

Lucius didn't miss how Draco straightened a bit at Harry's words - his son was proud to have earned Harry's faith and Lucius was left marveling at the incredible changes a single year had wrought. He'd never expected Draco's relationship with Harry to change so quickly and so favorably but Lucius couldn't have been happier. It was clear that Harry was a positive influence on Draco and Draco had come to admire Harry.

Harry stood then and said, "I am going to leave before Pomfrey returns. I would rather not be missed by my housemates come morning. I want to avoid a scene."

Draco glanced at Lucius then said hastily, "Pomfrey probably won't be back for a while. No need to run off, right? Stay and talk with us a while."

Lucius was grateful to his son for his attempt to keep Harry from leaving, for Lucius's sake, but he could tell Harry was not swayed by Draco's words.

Harry shook his head as he slipped on his shoes, "I'm tired, Draco, aren't you?"

Draco scoffed, "Harry, it's possible I might  _never_  sleep again."

Harry looked as if he might laugh then his expression smoothed and he looked at Lucius, inclining his head respectfully, "Lord Malfoy... My sincerest thanks for your gifts. You are too generous by far."

"I am gratified to have pleased you, Harry," Lucius replied. "Thank  _you_  for keeping my son safe, as well as all of the children in this school."

Lucius wanted to hug Harry and keep him close in order to ensure he stayed safe, but Lucius also knew that was a line that he simply could not cross yet.

Harry's gaze lingered on Lucius's for a long moment then he offered one last small smile and he slipped soundlessly from the room. Lucius continued to stare at the door long after it had closed, hoping pathetically that Harry would come back. For just a few minutes he had had some precious relief from the gnawing ache of loneliness that plagued him whenever Harry was not in sight. The depressive feelings returned so quickly after Harry was gone again.

"Are you sure you don't want to go after him and snog him senseless?" Draco asked teasingly. "I'd understand if you did."

Lucius forced himself to take a seat and stop looking at the door like some lovesick loon, "He is still too young, Draco. However, I cannot help but notice that you seem considerably less hostile towards Harry."

Draco paused for a moment, staring down at the sheets on the hospital bed and twisting them in his fingers. Then Draco looked up and he said quietly, "I'd like to share the memory with you, father."

Lucius frowned slightly then nodded. He called a house elf to fetch his pensive from home. Twenty minutes later he pulled his head out of the memory, feeling more than a little shaken. Lucius covered his face with his hands. He didn't want Draco to see his expression. Part of him wished he hadn't watched that memory - he was probably going to have nightmares about it for the rest of the week. Maybe longer.

All he could see in his mind's eye was how Harry had charged at that  _monster_ , without any hesitation at all. Lucius knew what the creatures were  _supposed_  to look like. They were supposed to be able to grow  _up to_  fifty feet in length. That serpent had been at least thirty feet longer than the maximum recorded length for the species.

Why had Harry been unafraid? How had he been able to move so confidently with his eyes shut? Was that sword he had summoned what Lucius thought it was? It'd  _looked_  like the famed sword of Godric Gryffindor.

Furthermore, how had Harry known how to destroy the Horcrux? How did he even know what a Horcrux was? Harry had also addressed the Dark Lord with a name that he shouldn't have known. The Dark Lord's greatest secret was not readily available knowledge.

Harry was a puzzle that Lucius couldn't figure out. Lucius had never expected such things from the boy. He'd known Harry acted strangely for a boy his age but this went beyond anything Lucius could have imagined. Harry was almost  _frightening_. He had the body of a child but it was not a  _child_  that was looking out from behind those green eyes.

Was his mate the hero of the Light or was he the next Dark Lord? Harry very well might be a wolf in sheep's clothing.

Lucius had no idea what Harry Potter was, but he was  _certain_  the boy was going to be his mate and that was really all that mattered. Lucius's life was irrevocably bound to Harry's, until the end. The bond had not even fully developed but Lucius's new driving purpose was to be whatever Harry needed. He thought about Harry literally every hour of the day. He missed a person he didn't  _even_   _know_.

After Harry became of age, Lucius would not be able to bear being parted from him. He would be absolutely desperate to please Harry. Lucius would cast aside his pride and his convictions as easily as yesterday's trash, if Harry asked it of him. If Harry became another Voldemort, then Lucius knew he would be the new Bellatrix Lestrange. Lucius knew that so long as he was with Harry, he would be  _happy_  about it.

If Lucius was honest with himself, that possibility was rather terrifying.

Draco spoke first, after an extended period of silence, "All I could do was stand there and cower. I never truly understood that Harry was as incredible as he is, until I watched him face down that monster and that shade of the Dark Lord without fear. But he didn't mock me for being afraid. He was kind to me."

Lucius dropped his hands and looked up. Draco was right -  _Harry was kind_. Lucius's fears were groundless and, worse, disloyal to his mate. Draco shrugged a little and added, "I respect him now, father. It is clear he will be a worthy mate for you."

Lucius whispered, "I do not have words for how panicked I was, when I thought I might lose you both, Draco."

Draco leaned forward and hugged his father, "I don't think you need to worry about him so much. You should know that. I mean, you  _saw_  what I saw. Me on the other hand - you should definitely worry about me. Especially since I'm supposed to try to keep  _Harry_  out of trouble. You barely know half of what he's put me through this year."

Lucius hugged his son back tightly, "I'm so proud of you, Draco. Thank you for watching over Harry for me."

He felt Draco smile against his shoulder. Lucius knew he didn't say say such things as often as he should. He held Draco for a moment longer then drew back and questioned, "Will you relay a request from me to Harry?"

Draco nodded, looking curious now.

"Ask him if he would be willing to open the chamber once more and escort specialists inside to remove the creature's body. With his permission, I will sell the harvested materials on his behalf. It is worth an immense fortune and it would be a shame for it to go to waste."

[][][][][]

GRYFFINDOR TOWER, HOGWARTS

_Enclosed please find a receipt showing the sum deposited to your vault for the sale of the materials you entrusted to me. I hope you are pleased with the proceeds._

_I took the liberty of having a memento crafted for you, from a small portion of the hide._

_Most sincerely yours,_

_L.M._

Harry raised his eyebrows when he looked at the bank receipt. Draco had told him that the basilisk was an invaluable specimen but he'd had no idea that Lucius would be able to sell it for  _quite_  that much money.

Harry's parents had left him a modest fortune that was large enough to ensure his comfort for many years to come. However, the sum written on the paper was so large it was almost obscene. It was ten times the amount that had previously been in the Potter vault. No doubt the vault itself had needed to be expanded when the funds were delivered. Lucius had also included an itemized list of the numerous parts of the Basilisk and what each had been sold for. Harry was impressed by how thorough Lucius was.

Harry opened the accompanying package and he grinned. The 'memento' was a set of dueling leathers. They could be worn either under one's robes or on their own. Harry recognized the crafter's name -  _Angelo Avaloni_ \- but couldn't remember from where. Basilisk hide was resistant to  _all_  spells but also flexible and lightweight. Therefore it was a highly prized material for Aurors and professional duelers… and high-profile individuals who had to worry about being assassinated. Sort of like himself, Harry supposed.

Harry also knew that the older the basilisk, the stronger the hide. He couldn't remember where he knew that from either.

Harry flipped through the certificates of authenticity and found a letter from the craftsman as well, which specified that additional spells had been woven into the lining of the garment. Harry recognized nearly all of the spells, even the obscure ones. It was almost overkill, in addition to the basilisk hide itself. He did appreciate that the outfit would adjust to fit him as he grew though. That meant he would be able to wear it indefinitely - and he  _did_  intend to wear it.

Harry knew that this memento was an effort on Lucius's part to protect Harry from future dangers. Lucius had exercised considerable restraint when he'd spoken to Harry last but it had been obvious to Harry that Lucius had been deeply upset by the thought of any harm coming to Harry or Draco - for rather different reasons, of course. Draco was Lucius's only son. Harry…  _well_ … what Lucius felt for Harry was definitely not paternal.

Not that Lucius felt he was able to say so, of course. That was a line the man simply couldn't cross yet and Harry understood why.

**< > END OF SECOND YEAR <>**


	7. Chapter 7

**< > THIRD YEAR <>**

MALFOY MANOR

Draco flopped down on the couch in Lucius's study with the morning paper clasped in one hand. Lucius didn't look up from the financial statements he was engrossed in but he did ask, "Will you at least  _pretend_  to make an effort at maintaining a poised air?"

"Uh, father? Have you, um, seen the paper?"

"What have I told you about using filler words?" Lucius replied tiredly. Draco was constantly testing his patience and sometimes Lucius wondered why he even bothered to correct the boy anymore. At this point he was just grateful that Draco  _usually_  did not forget himself like this when they had company.

"They're ineloquent and make me sound dumber than I actually am," Draco replied guilelessly. Lucius looked up from his paperwork then and he pinned his only child with a long-suffering stare. Draco ignored him and asked again, "Have you  _seen_  the  _paper_? Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban!"

Draco shook the paper roughly for emphasis. The newspaper wriggled out of Draco's grasp and flew over to Lucius's desk. He scanned the article quickly and then glanced at his son. Draco was smirking at him smugly, "Well?"

Lucius folded up the paper crisply and said, "The jailbreak is unprecedented and indeed surprising but Sirius Black is no threat to Harry. If  _Peter Pettigrew_  ever crawls out of whatever hole he's been hiding in,  _that_  would be a different matter all together."

"I'd forgotten about Sirius Black until now but don't you think Harry would be very interested to know that he has a godfather?"

Lucius frowned slightly and questioned, "Are you saying Harry might not know? That cannot be true."

"I'm saying he  _definitely_  doesn't know - Dumbledore doesn't tell him  _anything_  as far as I can tell. Unless we do something soon Harry is probably going to believe that Sirius Black betrayed his parents!"

Draco was undoubtedly imagining all  _sorts_  of horrible tragedies now. Lucius could tell.

Lucius ignored him for the moment. It was deeply unsettling that Albus would keep such knowledge from the Harry. Lucius didn't know anything about Harry's muggle family but there was a slim possibility that they might not know about Harry's godfather. Albus, on the other hand, was well aware of who Sirius was to Harry. The old man should have at least  _mentioned_  Black to Harry at some point in the previous two years.

Lucius had always thought it was strange that Albus had allowed Black to go to Azkaban. Perhaps there was a deeper reason for that?

Lucius frowned and he said, "Perhaps you can explain things to Harry after the school year starts. I have no way of getting letters to him while he is staying with his muggle family. In the meantime, however, I will see if I can make contact with Black and arrange a meeting. It would be good to discuss his plans for the future."

"His plans for the future?"

"Regarding Harry, of course."

Draco started to worry his bottom lip but he stopped immediately when he saw Lucius had noticed.

Lucius sighed and asked the obvious question, "What is it  _now_?"

"Well, I was just  _thinking_ ," Draco said slowly, "I'm sure Harry would like to  _meet_  Black. If they get along maybe he'd even prefer to  _live_  with Black. Then we might be able to write him letters during the holidays and maybe even visit him too.  _If_  Black was exonerated, that is. Also, if we help Black, he'll  _have_  to change his mind about us because he'd be indebted to us."

Lucius just nodded, "Yes, well done, Draco. I was thinking the same."

Draco pouted, "But you didn't  _say_  so."

"Do I need to share my every idea with you?" Lucius questioned exasperatedly, hiding his amusement. On the second thought he added, "Malfoys do  _not_  pout, Draco."

Draco smoothed his expression and replied coolly, "Harry might be your future mate, father, but he is also my friend. If you make plans concerning him, I want to know about it."

Lucius pretended to study the newspaper once more. He didn't want to smile because he knew Draco would think he was laughing at him. The truth was Lucius was actually feeling a mixture of pride and satisfaction.

"That is a fair and reasonable request," Lucius replied seriously. "I will be sure to honor it in the future."

[][][][][]

THE LEAKY CAULDRON

Remus looked as if he hadn't slept in weeks. He eyes were red-rimmed and darkly shadowed. He was eyeing Lucius suspiciously but Lucius pretended to ignore it.

A large black dog lay at Remus's feet. None of the other patrons seemed to notice.

Lucius added his own privacy wards after sitting down, reinforcing the spells already in place. He would have preferred to meet elsewhere but for some reason Remus had  _insisted_  upon the Leaky Cauldron. Lucius could only assume it was because Remus was was familiar with the place and felt it was safe. Maybe he even had friends here.

Remus spoke immediately, surprising Lucius with his bluntness, "You said you would help me get Sirius exonerated. Why the sudden change of heart? You never cared all those years he was in Azkaban."

"Circumstances have changed," Lucius answered blithely. "I don't care about Black personally but he  _is_  Harry Potter's godfather."

The dog started to growl and Remus looked angry too, "So all this is, is you trying to gain some kind of leverage over Harry?"

Lucius cast a quelling look at the dog - he had little patience for ill-behaved pets. The dog glared back at him and curled its lips back in a silent, threatening snarl. Lucius replied, "I am doing it because I think it would  _please_  Harry, yes, and I am  _endeavoring_  to earn his favor. I believe it is in my best interest."

Lucius was reluctant to disclose the truth to Remus, but this explanation was close enough and he hoped it would satisfy the werewolf. Remus narrowed his gaze, "You want to support Harry? I find that hard to believe."

"I cannot support him openly, no, but I intend… to follow Severus's path."

"You believe that You-Know-Who will rise again?" Remus questioned. "That there will be another war?"

Lucius frowned at him, not liking the ignorance that this anxious reply implied, "Do you not? Surely you could not have missed the signs."

Remus glanced down at the dog beside him. He was clearly fishing for some sort of passible explanation but all he finally said was, "I… have been preoccupied."

"For the last  _decade_?" Lucius demanded derisively. "Surely not."

Remus pressed his lips together and it was clear he would not elaborate. Lucius moved on smoothly, adopting a cajoling tone, "Whichever side Harry Potter supports is the side that will win, so I will support Harry Potter. There is nothing sinister in my motivations. I have no love or loyalty for the Dark Lord. I will always do what is best for myself and my family, irregardless of political ideologies. This course of action will benefit me, but it may also benefit you and Black. You should  _want_  to be my friend, Remus."

Remus was silent for a long minute then he said uncertainly, "Would you  _truly_  be able to clear Sirius's name?"

Lucius smirked, "Remus, I've already  _begun_. The Ministry is  _deeply_   _embarrassed_  by this debacle. As things stand currently, the public believes that a dangerous prisoner has broken out of Azkaban - for the first time in our  _history_. Everyone is trying to shift the blame, but it is an enormous problem for the Ministry and for the Minister in particular. It is a  _spectacular_  failure in competency and the Minister's opposition  _will_  exploit it to their full advantage. Political careers have been ended with far less damaging material. The Minister is  _desperate_  to get ahead of this in any way that he can."

Lucius paused, noticing how the wrinkles at the corners of Remus's eyes had deepened with stress. Lucius allowed his words to sink in then he added, "If Sirius Black  _isn't_  a criminal and if he was  _actually_  released from Azkaban at the Minister's order… then the Minister's problems go away."

Remus's amber eyes flickered, "But it's too late for that."

Lucius shook his head, "It has only been three days. Due to my interference, the Minister has not yet made an official statement. If he says that the press was misinformed and he delivers an  _alternative_  storyline, then it is as simple as that. The Minister would much rather take credit for releasing a man wrongfully imprisoned than assume responsibility for a career-shattering failure. He will apologize publicly to Black and award him a monetary compensation."

" _You_  can make this happen," Remus clarified once more, still seeming skeptical.

"As I've said, it is  _already_  happening," Lucius said nonchalantly. "I only need to find Sirius Black so that he can provide his memories as evidence of his innocence. There  _will not_  be another trial - the point is to sweep all of this under the rug as quickly as possible, after all. I only need enough to assure the Minister that this story won't unravel later and result in an even greater scandal. Black will also need to provide details of how he escaped, as a gesture of good faith, so that the weakness in Azkaban's security can be rectified."

"And what  _exactly_  will you want in return?"

"I want Sirius Black to assume guardianship of Harry Potter and I want our families to be…  _friendly_  in the future. Occasional dinner invites perhaps. I want Black to allow my son Draco to be Harry's friend. I would also like to be allowed to send Harry gifts and correspondence."

Remus shook his head, "I can't believe we're having this conversation. You really don't seem like the Lucius Malfoy I remember."

"Harry is kind," Lucius replied quietly, and more earnestly than he initially meant to. "If I wish for him to think favorably of me, mustn't I  _also_  be kind?"

Remus looked down at the dog beside him. The dog nodded and Lucius's eyes narrowed in sudden suspicion. Surely Black was not so stupid as to have come here in person? There was an old rumor that the 'marauders' were animagi, but if it was true then they were unregistered so Lucius couldn't be certain what kind of animal Black transformed into. There was something  _vaguely_  human about the dog's eyes.

Lucius hissed, "You did  _not_  bring him  _here_."

Remus shrugged helplessly, not bothering to deny it, "He really did not give me much choice in the matter. I have a room upstairs. We'll bottle the memories for you then bring it back to you."

The dog barked and jerked its head at Lucius. Remus muttered under his breath, "Are you sure about that?"

The dog barked again. Lucius glanced at the other patrons but no one was looking their way. He was grateful he'd installed his own privacy wards because these two were careless in the  _extreme_. Lucius was not nearly as at ease as he was pretending to be. The Leaky Cauldron was a place Death Eaters and other morally disreputable individuals avoided but meeting here was still a calculated risk. Even with all the precautions he had taken, the risk was still more than what he normally would have considered acceptable.

Remus said, "He wants you to come upstairs with us."

Lucius cast an irritated look at the dog, "I will follow two minutes after you."

Once he was in the room, he got his first look at Sirius Black in his human form. Azkaban had not been good to him. He looked almost feral, just like the dog had been. Lucius reminded himself that he'd dealt with less stable individuals in the past. He was not overly concerned.

Sirius grinned at him, "Lucius Malfoy. You've barely aged. Must be that lovely  _mixed_   _blood_  of yours."

Lucius's immediate impulse was to scoff and reply with some scathing remark. He reminded himself he needed to try his best to get along with Sirius. Lucius forced a smile, "You might be right, thank you for the compliment."

Sirius regarded Lucius as if he'd suddenly grown a second head. Sirius looked at Remus and spoke to him as if Lucius wasn't right in front of him, "He really is acting bizarre, isn't he?"

Remus just nodded. Sirius looked at Lucius again, "Well, Remus keeps telling me time changes people, but I don't think you could have possibly changed  _that_  much. Tell me what you really want or there will be no deal."

Remus spoke Sirius's name in a warning. Sirius ignored him and kept his gaze fixed unwaveringly on Lucius. There was a gleam in his eyes that wasn't completely sane, but Sirius had always been more intelligent than anyone gave him credit for. However, he was also foolish enough to actually follow through with what he was saying and pass up the opportunity to clear his name if Lucius refused to answer him.

Lucius debated for a moment whether or not he was willing to risk lying to Sirius. At long last, Lucius said reluctantly, "It concerns my mixed blood."

Sirius's eyes narrowed and he waited. Lucius continued, "Harry is my future mate."

Sirius and Remus both appeared shocked for a moment then Sirius started cackling madly, in a way that reminded Lucius of Sirius's cousin. Madness  _did_  run in that family.

Remus muttered, "Sirius  _stop_."

Sirius pressed a hand over his mouth, his eyes positively  _glowing_  with mirth, "Oh, that's just rich. How did Harry react? Do you think he's excited about the prospect of binding himself to a man more than twice his age? You're pretty enough, but for gods' sake, you have a  _son_  his age! Will Draco call Harry 'father' too or have you not decided? How about Narcissa? How will she factor in, hm?"

There was a sharp edge to Sirius's voice that did not escape Lucius's notice. Lucius was careful to keep his own tone perfectly even as he replied, "I have not told Harry yet. I feel it would be more appropriate to wait until he is of age."

"Don't ignore the other issues," Sirius snapped harshly. Remus winced.

Lucius considered Sirius briefly before addressing the other 'issues' Sirius had raised, as if each rhetorical question was worthy of a thoughtful answer, "I cannot speculate as to how Harry will react, I can only endeavor to endear myself to him. I also cannot say if he may or may not be excited about the age difference. I do hope he will find me as attractive as you seem to. I am aware I do not look my age so perhaps that will work in my favor."

Sirius's expression was rather difficult to interpret. So was Remus's - he hadn't seemed to appreciate the insinuation that Sirius found Lucius attractive. Lucius carried on, "Harry's relationship with me and his relationship with my son have no bearing on each other. He will most likely never be a father figure to Draco but Harry and Draco  _are_  friends. Draco admires and respects Harry greatly. As for Narcissa, I will be divorcing her prior to Harry's seventeenth birthday. As you are aware, it is a marriage in name only. She fully supports my decision."

A little of the danger had faded from Sirius but he still seemed hostile. Remus leaned close to Sirius and spoke to him quietly, "This is  _good_  news, Sirius. You told me he has Veela blood and he's saying Harry is his future mate. That means he is incapable of hurting Harry. He's not going to take advantage of Harry, he's just trying to be what Harry needs right now. Where the relationship goes will be up to Harry in the end. In the meantime, Lucius will be an invaluable ally. He's going to get you  _exonerated_  Sirius and he's barely asking anything of you in return. Please, just… agree to the deal and give him the memories he needs. It will change  _everything_  for us."

Remus placed a hand on Sirius's arm and Sirius relaxed. His overly intense gaze gentled when he looked at Remus and much seemed to pass between them unsaid. Lucius watched the interaction between them keenly. It seemed that the werewolf knew a thing or two about mates - from experience.

Sirius finally sighed and nodded, "Okay  _fine_ , let's do this."


	8. Chapter 8

**< > THIRD YEAR <>**

NUMBER 4 PRIVET DRIVE

Marjorie Dursley was even more despicable than her brother Vernon, Harry thought darkly. The Dursleys were all profoundly awful people, but as terrible as they  _acted_ , their thoughts were even worse.

Whenever Harry was home, his mood was  _abysmal_. It was difficult to separate his own feelings from the toxic feelings of this toxic family. There was no hiding from their smug superiority and the mixture of bitter contempt and extreme envy that drove them. Harry did his best to block it out, but it was always there.

Harry finished serving the family dinner then slipped outside into the backyard. He tried his best to ignore Marjorie's comments about his mother and father. She was only attempting to provoke him. She had certain unfavorable ideas about him and Harry didn't want to prove her right.

It was dark outside and the summer air was balmy. It was also blissfully quiet.

_They make him wait upon them like a servant!_

The errant, furious thought gave Harry pause. Harry glanced about quickly and he spotted the bright aura of a wizard immediately, hiding beyond the neatly trimmed bushes. The night was dark, without any visible moon or stars, but in this muggle neighborhood the wizard's aura was as bright and obvious as a bonfire. Only, the shape was wrong - a dog, instead of a person.

The energy radiating from the wizard was wild and erratic and powerful. Harry breathed in deeply, enjoying his first taste of strength in months. He was already feeling better and his dwindling magic reserves started to grow.

_James and Lilly would roll in their graves if they knew! I can't believe-_

This wizard knew Harry's parents. He'd been their friend. Harry relaxed a little but he wasn't prepared to let his guard down entirely yet. He was weak and vulnerable right now. He was  _not_  prepared to deal with any significant threat.

The dog moved forwards through the bushes. It was black in color and significantly larger than any dog Harry had ever seen. It looked feral, actually.

It moved forward suddenly, running at him. Harry cursed and shifted immediately into his animagus form. He would be better able to protect himself this way, but it cost him more magic than he could afford to lose.

The dog stopped in its tracks abruptly.

_A lion! No way!_

The dog shifted into his human form and the stranger began laughing immediately. Harry crouched down, bunching his powerful muscles and flexing his claws in preparation to spring. The man's name came to him suddenly -  _Sirius Black_.

Sirius grinned at him, "Look at you! I can't believe you're an animagus already and a  _lion_  at that! How perfectly fitting for a Gryffindor! I'm so proud of you, Harry. I didn't mean to alarm you, I'm sorry. I'm just so excited to see you again after all this time."

Harry shifted back. It was much easier for him to do so now that Sirius was so close. Sirius gave off energy like a live wire - his aura was excessively bright.

_He was a baby last time. It's been twelve years. I can't believe how much he looks like James and those eyes - definitely Lilly's. He's strange though. Completely different temperament. Probably because of those wretched muggles…_

Harry demanded, "Who are you?"

He needed to get the introductions out of the way now to ensure he didn't accidentally call the man by his name  _before_  they'd been properly introduced.

"Ah! I'm Sirius, Sirius Black. I was a friend of your father and mother. I'm your godfather, actually. Hasn't anyone told you about me, Harry?"

"No," Harry replied simply, trying to focus the majority of his attention on the chaotic feedback he was getting from Sirius's mind.

_Lucius was right then. Albus never told Harry about me. Damn that man - what kind of game is he playing now? Leaving me in Azkaban… Leaving Harry with these awful people… What could Albus have gained from that?_

It seemed that the adults in Harry's life were starting to realize what Harry already knew about Albus - that the man could not be trusted. However, they  _didn't_  realize what Harry was yet. If they did, maybe their thinking would align with Albus's.

 _Albus_  thought Harry was dangerous.  _Albus_  insisted that Harry live with muggles because he was afraid of how strong Harry became after extended exposure to magical beings. Harry wasn't like others - his magic came from  _other_  people rather than himself.

Sirius said, "Well, I've been in Azkaban for a while. Not to worry though, I was recently exonerated! That means I was found to be  _innocent_. I'm not actually a criminal so you can trust me, I promise."

Harry knew what 'exonerated' meant, but he was used to adults talking down to him and he didn't react negatively. He was starting to get a decent idea of who Sirius was and so far he liked it. Sirius had now assumed guardianship of Harry, as he should have after Harry's parents had died. He was here to ask Harry if he wanted to move in with him - somewhere called Grimmauld Place, one of the ancestral homes of the Black family.

_I hope he doesn't think I'm a lunatic. I'm only slightly crazy. Remus thinks it's endearing. Maybe Remus would like me no matter what, but that's not the point. Or is it?_

Sirius's was definitely little crazy. His thoughts were all over the place. Harry understood though that this was merely a side effect of an extended stay in Azkaban and he felt sympathy for the man.

Harry's own thoughts were already ten steps ahead but he backtracked now and he questioned, "Why were you sent to Azkaban, Mister Black?"

_Mister Black! God, Mister Black is my father! I must look so old now, it's awful. Ten years ago, no one Harry's age would have ever thought to call me Mister Black! So much of my life gone and for what? Albus won't see me, won't even talk to me!_

"Uh, no need to be formal, call me Sirius! Um, as for Azkaban…"

_Merlin, he's going to panic if I tell him they thought I was a mass murderer…_

Harry raised an eyebrow and Sirius cleared his throat awkwardly, "Um, your mom and dad were in hiding with you. I was James's best friend so everyone thought I was their secret keeper - ah, the secret being their  _location_ , you see… but anyways, we thought that would be too obvious. Peter Pettigrew was actually their secret keeper but he-"

 _That miserable rat betrayed us all! When I find him I'm going to_ kill _him for what he did to Lilly and James!_

Harry's patient expression froze on his face. He  _knew_  the name Peter Pettigrew. He was very familiar with the name actually. It was the name of the animagus who was Ron's pet rat. Harry had been keeping an eye on the rat for the last two years but the rat's aura was weak and his thoughts were few and far between. The rare thoughts Harry got from the rat animagus mostly revolved around rat-like things, like when he would eat next and his desire to find a small safe space to curl up and sleep in. The rat barely remembered his own name.

Harry had thought that the rat was a wizard who had managed a successful animagus transformation but had never figured out how to shift back into a human form. He'd read about such things in the books Lucius had given him. Once a witch or wizard spent too much time in an animal form, their mind became animal as well. It was a rather pitiful end, but the rat was happy enough. It was also possible that Pettigrew  _knew_  how to become a human again but had decided to live out the rest of his life as a beloved family pet. It'd been impossible for Harry to determine the truth, prior to now.

Sirius continued, "Well, he ended up being a traitor. He was one of You-Know-Who's servants, you see. He's been missing ever since but the Aurors have reopened the case now and they're looking for him. They'll find him, don't worry."

_They won't find him. Not when they have no idea that he's an animagus. I'm going to be the one to find him and I'm going to enjoy killing that worthless excuse for a-_

"Maybe I can help you, Sirius," Harry offered politely, careful to keep his voice even.

_Help me kill Wormtail? No, that's not what he means. Or is it? No, of course it isn't. Wait, what does he mean? What were we even talking about?_

Sirius paused for a moment then seemed to remember why he'd come, "Actually, Harry, I'm here to help you."

"What do you mean?" Harry questioned, trying not to sound too eager.

"Well, I told you I'm your godfather, right? Your mother and your father wanted me to take care of you if anything happened to them. If I hadn't been wrongfully convicted and sent to Azkaban, I would have been your legal guardian according to Lilly and James's will. Now that I'm a free man… well, I have custody of you and I was hoping you would consider moving in with me. You don't have to of course, I  _know_  I'm a stranger to you, but… Well, I'd heard stories from Lilly about her muggle relatives and they're even worse than I thought. I can't imagine that you'd want to stay with those awful people, would you?"

_Surely he won't say no? I should have brought Remus - he looks more trustworthy and responsible. He's what a proper adult should be…_

"You're right, Sirius, they  _are_  awful," Harry agreed. "I would be very grateful to you, if you allowed me to live with you instead."

Sirius grinned widely, "Really?"

Harry nodded and Sirius let out a whoop of joy, drawing an answering smile from Harry. Sirius's happiness and vitality was contagious. The Dudley's negative thoughts and emotions were quickly becoming a memory.

Of course then the back door to the house opened and Vernon shouted, "Boy! Are you out there? We're ready for dessert!"

Ripper the bulldog shoved past Vernon, nearly toppling the top-heavy man. Ripper raced towards Harry, barking aggressively. Sirius grabbed Harry's arm and shoved Harry behind him quickly. It was a protective gesture and it surprised Harry. Also, the unexpected physical contact nearly overwhelmed him and left him scrambling to focus.

Sirius growled, low and deep and animal. Ripper was understandably shocked and he tripped over himself coming to a hasty stop. Then the dog tucked tail and rolled over. Harry felt Sirius's smug satisfaction.

Vernon was peering into the dark with squinted eyes, "Boy! Hurry up!"

Sirius released Harry and stalked forward across the lawn into the light spilling from the open door. Harry followed after him, smiling when he realized what Sirius was about to do. Sirius jammed his wand into Vernon's thick neck before the muggle could do more than gasp. Sirius gritted out a few very specific curses under his breath. Harry grinned, already knowing what the magic was meant to do. Vernon tried to speak but all that came out of his mouth were irate oinking noises. The other spells would not be immediately obvious but Vernon would be suffering for quite some time from an irritable bowl, a lack of taste, and an insatiable sexual attraction to pink, ornamental lawn flamingos.

Sirius was a creative devil and Harry repeated the spells several times within his own mind in an effort to commit the unique spells to memory.

Sirius cast similarly inspired spells on the other Dursleys, without even waiting for them to speak. Then he cast a memory charm to remove their memories of tonight and he put them all to sleep where they were. Vernon dropped to the floor with a great deal of noise and Dudley's face ended up smushed in a plate full of mashed potatoes and gravy.

_They deserve far worse than this but Lilly would be furious with me if I used dark spells in front of her baby boy. I can always come back later on and check in on them. If they're not suffering enough then, I'll do more. James would approve of drawing out their punishment. After all, Harry's had to suffer in their 'care' for twelve years now. That's almost worse than Azkaban._

Harry pretended to be concerned about the Dursleys, "Are they going to be alright?"

Sirius nodded, "Oh, not to worry, Harry, they're just asleep. Let's go get your things."

"Will you be punished for using magic on muggles?" Harry asked the question because it seemed like the sort of naive question Sirius would expect from him.

_Hah! I'm not an amateur! That's why I removed their memories._

"Not if no one finds out!" Sirius replied cheerfully.

Harry went upstairs and he spared a smile for Hedwig, "You'll be out of that cage soon. I'll explain everything later."

"What a lovely owl!" Sirius said exuberantly, when he followed Harry into his small bedroom. "What's her name?"

"Hedwig," Harry replied. "It won't be a problem if I bring her, will it?"

"Oh no, of course not, Harry. You can have  _twelve_  owls for all I care."

Sirius cast the spells to pack away Harry's things. He was looking about curiously and Harry knew that Sirius was upset about how little Harry had.

_Look at the state of these clothes! They must be hand-me-downs from that whale of a child downstairs. We'll have to go shopping and get him an entirely new wardrobe._

"Whoa wait are these  _basilisk skin_  dueling leathers?" Sirius plucked them out of the air and studied them with a keen eye. "The quality is incredible! Now I see what you spend all your money on! I approve, but you should really invest in your other clothes as well. Hand-me-downs are practical but you don't really need to be quite  _that_  practical. It's not your fault, of course, but you should really have a full wardrobe of clothes that fit you. Now that I'm your guardian I can't have people thinking I'm not taking proper care of you."

"Actually, the dueling leathers were a gift from Lucius Malfoy," Harry replied, curious about how Sirius would react.

_Lucius Malfoy? He really is pulling out all the stops huh. Getting me exonerated, sending Harry the most expensive gifts… I guess Remus must be right about him, but if he puts even one toe out of line I'll string him up by his hair from the dining room chandelier! I can't just trust him, no matter what._

Lucius was responsible for clearing Sirius's name and he'd done it for Harry's sake. Harry was taken aback for a moment, but then he supposed he shouldn't have been surprised. He  _knew_  Lucius would do anything for him.

Lucius was determined to help Harry in any way he possibly could. He wanted to take care of Harry and make him happy and keep him safe. He was also desperate for Harry to like him and think well of him. What he didn't realize, was he didn't need to try so hard. Harry understood Lucius's intentions perfectly and Lucius really didn't need to be so afraid for the future.

"What do you think of Lucius?" Sirius questioned hesitantly, hiding his anxiety.

Harry smiled a bit and said gently, "Sirius, you really don't have to worry."

Lucius wasn't actually  _attracted_  to Harry right now. No, Lucius was  _going to be_ attracted to the adult Harry would grow up to be. Lucius wasn't ever going to take advantage of Harry and he wasn't even tempted to do so now. It confused him sometimes when Harry acted like an adult, but Harry had the body of a child and there was nothing confusing about that.

The most 'nefarious' thing Lucius had ever wanted to do to Harry was give him a hug… and he hadn't even done  _that_  because he didn't think Harry would welcome it.

Lucious thought that now was a time for building a foundation of trust before Harry became an adult. So that when Lucius was eventually consumed by his instincts, Harry would know what was going on and he'd be able to make informed decisions. Lucius just didn't want to be a  _stranger_  to Harry four or five years from now. He wouldn't be able to bear being parted from Harry when Harry was an adult. It made perfect sense to Harry that Lucius would want to gain Harry's trust and good opinion  _before_  that, if he could.

"Uh, what?" Sirius questioned. "Worry about what? I'm not worried."

Harry cast him a skeptical look, "You  _seem_  worried. About Lucius. You don't need to be. It's not an inappropriate relationship and he hasn't asked for anything from me."

Sirius went red in the face, "I-I didn't m-mean… You shouldn't even  _say_  things like that."

Harry hid a smile, "Well, you're supposed to be my guardian now, right? I figured you might be suspicious of Lucius for sending me expensive gifts. Didn't you think he could possibly be trying to manipulate me? Because I'm the Boy Who Lived?"

 _Oh_ that's _what he meant. What a bloody relief. Boys his age shouldn't be thinking about sex and that sort of thing… right? Surely I wasn't thinking about that kind of thing when I was thirteen._

Harry ignored Sirius's thoughts and added, "I'm friends with his son and Lucius didn't make such a great first impression with me, so I think he's just trying to make up for that now. I mean, I know there are benefits to being friendly with me because of my fame, but I don't think he wants any more from me than anyone else does. Nothing to be worried about."

"Right, right, of course you're right," Sirius replied hastily.

_Probably best that Harry thinks that way for the time being. I don't want him stressed out. School's bad enough I'm sure. He should be worried about kid stuff, not about who he's going to spend the rest of his life with. He should be having fun._

Harry looked around his room, "Seems like that's everything, Sirius. Thank you for your help. It's so much easier to pack with magic."

"Not a problem, Harry! I think you'll like Grimmauld Place. It's a little dark and scary at first, but it has plenty of luxuries. You'll also be able to practice magic with your wand there - the wards ensure that whatever happens in that house  _stays_  in that house. The Ministry won't have the faintest idea whether or not you use your wand."

Harry smiled slowly, "That sounds wonderful, Sirius. I can't wait."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I originally wrote this chapter, I was hesitant to write it from Harry's POV but there won't be much else happening in third year so I thought it was time to start explaining what Harry is. Every time I've written Harry's POV before, he hasn't been around other people and there was a very specific reason for that. Anytime Harry is around other people, his thinking becomes rather complicated and there's going to be a lot in this chapter that is going to be rather confusing. If you keep reading through the end of year three you'll understand exactly what he is.
> 
> What Harry actually is ties into the title a bit. There's a hidden meaning there that I don't plan on specifically mentioning in the story, but it'll make sense when more about Harry is revealed. It's more complicated than mind-reading, but mind-reading is one reason why he knows many of the things he shouldn't.


	9. Chapter 9

**< > THIRD YEAR <>**

12 GRIMMAULD PLACE

Harry lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. There were shadows creeping across the decorative plaster. The vague shapes were struggling to make their way in any direction that was away from  _him_ , but they were failing. Harry's lure was inescapable.

Kreacher popped into being, just inside the door, as far away from Harry as possible. The creature tried to stay well away from Harry whenever he could. Harry knew the house elf was frightened of him. He'd tried to be extra nice to Kreacher but the hateful little elf made it difficult.

"Master has asked the Monster to come downstairs," Kreacher mumbled, as harshly as he could with his hand over his mouth. The house elf seemed to think protecting his mouth would protect his soul from Harry.

"I've asked you not to call me that, Kreacher," Harry replied wearily. "I'm not going to hurt you."

 _Lies, lies, lies. The Monster_ always _lies_ _._

"Kreacher knows the Monster does not  _have_  to try to hurt Kreacher," the house elf replied with absolute distain. "The Monster cannot  _help_  it."

_Mistress would scream without end if she knew about the Monster._

"You're being overly dramatic," Harry said, rolling his eyes. "That painting can't tell what I am and I don't hurt  _anyone_  accidentally."

"Kreacher wonders if the Monster believes that."

 _Mistress would be so upset to have such a Monster tainting this noble house. It upsets the ancient wards. It upsets the shadows. It_ eats _the poor shadows. It will eat_ Kreacher _too._

"Go ahead and get out of here. I don't know why you stick around when you're so afraid. Just try to remember what I might do to you if you reveal what I am to Sirius."

The house elf popped out of the room immediately. Harry sighed, glancing at the 'poor shadows' again, with a bit of nagging guilt.

Sirius had given him one of the best rooms in the house - the room reserved for the eldest child and heir of the family. The house had been neglected in the time that it had stood uninhabited (with the exception of Kreacher). However, Sirius had fully restored several rooms so far, including Harry's room, the master suite, the kitchen, the dining room, and the main living room. He was working hard on the other rooms too but there were quite a few and there were many unexpected surprises of the darkest kind. Harry enjoyed helping him whenever Sirius felt it was safe for him to but Sirius often felt that it was not safe.

The house was impressive already and Harry could only imagine what it would look like when it was fully restored. Living in such a place felt like a dream to Harry. The house was full luxuries that Harry had never experienced before and Sirius had also been showering him with gifts. The largest gift by far had been Harry's new wardrobe. Sirius had spared no expense on the new clothes - they were were of excellent quality and also enchanted to adjust to fit Harry as he grew.

Sirius seemed to think Harry was on the verge of a sudden growth spurt. Harry's godfather had dragged him to several specialist healers, rather against Harry's will. The healers hadn't been able to tell what Harry was, much to his relief, but they'd said he was malnourished and they'd given Sirius a detailed picture of the neglect he had endured under the dubious care of the Dursleys.

Now Harry had to adhere to a strict, high-calorie diet and take supplemental potions with meals, three times a day. Sirius was also talking about commissioning a corrective vision potion for him. Sirius had inserted himself flawlessly into Harry's life and Harry now considered the man to be one of the people he cared about the most.

Harry made his way downstairs. Kreacher hadn't told him where Sirius was but Harry found him easily enough. The man was still like a bonfire in the night.

Harry paused briefly in the doorway to the dining room. Sirius was not alone. A deceptively normal-looking man was sitting beside him.

This stranger was a werewolf. Harry had never met a werewolf before but he recognized what the man was  _immediately_. The aura was distinctive and fundamentally different from anything Harry had seen before. Harry could  _see_  the wolf inside of the man - it had a separate aura. Harry had the unsettling feeling that the beast was looking back at him. That it  _knew_  him for what he was.

Harry watched the man's nostrils flare slightly, as if he was trying to place a strange scent. The man only seemed mildly confused but the wolf inside him roiled in agitation, instinctively wanting to get away from the danger it sensed. The man stood and extended his hand, mercifully ignoring his inner beast, "Hello, Harry, it's so good to finally meet you. I'm Remus Lupin. I was a friend of your parents and I'll be your Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor in the coming school year. We'll be heading to Hogwarts together in a few days."

It seemed Remus was used to holding his wolf in check and ignoring his baser instincts. Remus's self-discipline was incredible for a werewolf. Harry could tell already that Remus  _absolutely hated_  that half of himself. Harry was relieved because if that had not been the case, Remus might have been overly suspicious of him.

"Oh, it's nice to meet you too. You're also Sirius's boyfriend, right?" Harry questioned, with false innocence, looking between Sirius and Remus with a smile. The question had the intended effect and Remus forgot all about the handshake, flushing with sudden embarrassment.

_How could he possibly have guessed that? Did he see Sirius kiss me just now? Surely I would have noticed him, if he'd been standing there for that long. Did Sirius tell him? No, that cannot be it. We agreed we were going to wait for a better time. The Weasleys will be here any minute now._

Sirius helped Harry too, but unintentionally. Sirius choked on his drink, spraying it across the table. Remus cast Sirius a disgusted look and grabbed a napkin before throwing it at his mate's face. Harry knew that 'mate' was the proper word for what Sirius was to Remus.

Harry had learned a great deal about Remus in the short time that he'd spent with Sirius. Sirius thought of Remus almost constantly and had missed him terribly. A lot of his thoughts had been… rather  _explicit_  as well. Harry did his best not to ignore those particular thoughts, out of respect for both adults.

Harry took his usual seat beside Sirius. Sirius had already piled a plate full of food for him and set out his potions.

"Uh, he uh… yeah okay, he is," Sirius said.

Remus made a disgruntled noise and his thoughts were exasperated musings about how easily Sirius folded and abandoned their plans. Remus said aloud, "We were going to wait until later to tell you, Harry, because we're expecting company. I am sure you have many questions and you might have reasonable concerns about whether or not my relationship with your godfather will affect my ability to remain impartial as your teacher. I assure you-"

"Nope!" Harry replied cheerfully, then downed his potions.

Remus stopped, "Ah… I beg your pardon?"

Harry smiled at him, "I don't have any concerns about anything, Professor Lupin. You obviously make each other happy and I know you won't treat me any differently than any of your other students. You know how important it is for me to learn how to properly defend myself. You wouldn't jeopardize my education just to stay on Sirius's good side. I typically get top marks in DADA anyway and I'm not about to slack off this year. I won't fail to meet your high standards, sir."

_Merlin, I still haven't gotten used to him talking like that. He's thirteen bloody years old. Look at Remus's face. Hah! I told you what to expect and you thought I was exaggerating again didn't you, Moony? Our Harry's really something else, isn't he?_

Sirius grinned at Remus and opened his mouth. Remus kicked him under the table and glared at him before looking back at Harry and saying, "That's very mature of you, Harry, thank you for your understanding. However, when it's just us, I don't mind if you call me Remus instead of Professor or sir. Actually, I'd prefer it."

"I'd be happy to," Harry replied politely. He told himself it would be okay for Remus to spend so much time around him. He hoped he was right. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you better but didn't you say we were expecting company?"

"Oh yeah!" Sirius replied enthusiastically, "You're going to be so excited! I invited the Weasleys over for dinner. Hermione Granger and her parents too! I thought it'd be a great to have a small dinner party before you head back to school. I can't wait to meet your best friends!"

Remus added, "They should be here any minute now."

Harry hastily shoved some food into his mouth to conceal his trepidation. He liked Hermione and Ron, certainly, but he often had trouble relating to them.

For obvious reasons.

The thoughts of so many people would be somewhat jarring but it would be a good way to brace himself for the chaos of Hogwarts. When multiple people were with Harry he had a hard time picking out individual thoughts. Sometimes it was a blessing.

Not even a minute later the roaring fire in the fireplace turned green, casting an eerie hue of light over the formal dining room. After that, Weasleys started spilling forth rapidly. Nearly the entire family. They brought the Grangers with them.

Sirius, Remus, and Harry stood to greet them. Harry got a lot of warm hugs and he tried his best to appreciate the sentiment rather than focusing on how overwhelming the physical contact was. It was a feast for Harry's insatiable soul and he wished it didn't feel as good as it did to steal power from the people he cared for. He wished he could stop himself, but it was as essential and unstoppable as the beating of his heart.

One thing was for certain - he had never been this powerful at the start of a school year and there would be no more extended stays with the Dursleys to bring him down. Harry worried what Dumbledore might do to him if he thought Harry was reaching an uncontrollable level of power.

Then Harry realized that Ron had brought  _Scabbers_  as well.

It seemed as if he'd realized it at the same time Remus and Sirius had. The rat was squirming violently - well aware of where he was and eager to make a quick escape. Everything happened very quickly after that.

Remus and Sirius both lunged forward. Pettigrew bit Ron in order to free himself then he jumped to the floor, making a run for it. Remus and Sirius were casting spells at the rat - spells to turn the animagus back into a human, spells to stun, spells to maim… There was a lot of noise and a lot of movement. Pettigrew was going to get away.

Harry closed his eyes and focused on the rat's pitiful aura, until it was all he could see… then he sucked in a quick, deep breath - like a gasp. The rat stumbled, toppled head over heels, hit the wall, and then fell still. Harry relaxed and opened his eyes. His awareness broadened once more and returned to a neutral state.

A few spells hit the now-motionless target and then the fully human Peter Pettigrew was lying crumpled on the rug.

Harry looked at Ron with sympathy. He could feel the young boy's shock, confusion, and dawning horror. The other Weasleys and the Grangers were feeling similar emotions. Their thoughts were  _absolute chaos_.

Remus knelt beside Pettigrew and felt for his pulse, then frowned severely, "He's… dead? How? Sirius did you…?"

"What? No! He  _can't_  be dead! I wanted to- I needed to  _talk_  to him, damn it!"

_I wanted him to suffer! He deserved to suffer! He was responsible for Lilly and James's deaths! I went to Azkaban in his place! So many years of my life that I'll never get back!_

Sirius was starting to lose it and he'd need to excuse himself soon in order to collect himself in private. He would most likely need Remus's help too.

Harry wasn't sorry to have killed Pettigrew but he  _was_  very sorry to have ended Pettigrew so quickly and painlessly. He hadn't been willing to risk Pettigrew escaping and he'd been forced to act fast when he'd realized things had gotten out of control. He hadn't intended to take  _everything_  from Pettigrew… but he had.

Harry had underestimated his own strength and overestimated Pettigrew.

The Weasleys were talking about calling the Aurors now. The Grangers were talking quietly with Hermione - they had no idea what was going on and they wanted to know if this sort of thing happened frequently.

Needless to say, the dinner party was over before it had even begun.


	10. Chapter 10

**< > THIRD YEAR <>**

HOGWARTS GROUNDS

Peter Pettigrew had been Weasley's pet rat 'Scabbers'. The chances were so  _astronomical_  that Draco had almost wanted to laugh. Instead, he'd torn his newspaper apart and wadded it up, in a brief fit of unfettered rage. Why had he thought, for even one minute, that Harry would be safe in the Black Family's heavily fortified ancestral home? Harry was simultaneously the most lucky and unlucky person in the world. His bad luck got him into danger and then his good luck saved him.

Draco intended to take out his frustration on the Weasel. He was going to relentlessly bully the redhead for having kept a traitorous murderer as a pet. Weasley would pet that rat and carry it in his pocket and he had probably even let it sleep in his bed.  _For_   _years_.

 _Someone_  had to be sure Weasley wouldn't forget it and that someone was Draco.

Draco's father had told him that Pettigrew's cause of death was inconclusive. Draco figured that meant Black himself had probably killed Pettigrew rather than detaining him. Draco certainly couldn't fault him if he had.

He assumed the Aurors were just covering things up and sweeping it all under the rug so that there would be no need for further investigation. After all, it could have easily been written off as self defense, even if it hadn't been. Pettigrew was considered to be an extremely dangerous criminal and law-abiding citizens had a right to protect themselves.

Oddly enough, Draco's father hadn't agreed with Draco's theory that Black had enacted vengeance on Pettigrew. Actually, he'd seemed oddly concerned about the cause of death. Apparently he'd gotten his hands on the official report and the cause of death was a mystery. Everyone's wands had been tested and no one present had been responsible. Further testing showed that it had not been any sort of physical damage that killed Pettigrew. It was as if the  _life_  had been sucked out of him.

Draco didn't know what that meant. He did know though that Harry was a  _magnet_  for danger and it would probably come out later that Pettigrew was killed by some sort of demonic spirit haunting the House of Black. Possibly something even worse. Draco's father was pressuring the investigators to determine the  _exact_  cause. He wouldn't let them close the case until he had answers and could be certain of Harry's safety.

This year was supposed to be quiet and uneventful now that Black was a free man and Harry had his godfather and Pettigrew was dead. Draco was still on edge. He was determined not to be taken by surprise when something inevitably went wrong.

 _Something_  was  _definitely_  going to go wrong this year involving Harry and this time Draco was going to be ready for it.

Draco wasn't sure why he'd decided to take Care for Magical Creatures. It was a new class and he'd thought it would be interesting but not overly rigorous - a welcome reprieve from his other classes.

Okay, his decision  _might_ have been influenced in some small way because Hagrid was a friend of Harry's. Draco had assumed it was a safe bet that Harry would be taking the class too. He'd been right.

Draco placed himself and his subordinate friends near Harry, Granger and Weasley. He made a depreciating comment about the wild state of Harry's hair but it wasn't the most creative insult, really. Crabbe and Goyle chortled meanly, just like always. They were dependable in that way. They always backed him up, no matter what.

Weasley and Granger glared at Draco. They were pretty dependable too. Draco was glad Harry had them, even though he was jealous that they got to be Harry's friends publicly. It just wasn't  _fair_.

Harry glanced his way with something like a smile pulling at the corner of his lips, but then he scowled and replied, "Shut it, Malfoy."

Draco almost smiled back but he managed to turn it into a sneer instead. He was about to deliver one of the insults he'd prepared for Weasley but then he was distracted by the strange creature Hagrid brought out. Draco didn't recognize the creature and that meant he was actually going to need to spend some time studying his textbook. Hagrid called the creature a Hippogriff and apparently it was named Buckbeak.

Hagrid explained that Buckbeak was a proud and discerning beast who was particular about adhering to proper formalities. One had to bow and wait for the creature to bow back before making an approach. Or risk getting  _mauled,_ Draco guessed, based on how wickedly sharp Buckbeak's talons and beak were.

Buckbeak and Draco's father were actually quite similar, Draco thought, with great amusement. He wished he had someone to share that particular joke with, but a Malfoy did  _not_  poke fun at other Malfoys with anyone  _outside_  of the family.

Draco caught Harry's gaze unintentionally. Everyone was looking at Buckbeak but Harry was watching Draco from the corner of his eye. Draco thought Harry looked almost amused, but that couldn't be right. Could it? Maybe they'd had the same thought? No, that was unlikely. Harry didn't know Draco's father that well yet.

Harry actually winked at Draco then looked away. Draco was rather flummoxed for a moment but also thrilled. It made him feel better about being Harry's secret friend, if Harry wasn't going to ignore him all the time. It could even be fun!

Then Draco realized Hagrid wanted someone to actually try approaching the Hippogriff. Draco really needed to stop mooning over his new friend and focus on what was going on in class. He would look like an idiot if he got caught off guard.

"Harry? Come on over, don't be shy!"

Draco looked at Harry again, just like everyone else. He saw something strange in Harry's expression. He'd expected Harry would be  _eager_  to do it, yet the boy seemed oddly reluctant.

"Don't be scared, Potter!" Draco jeered at him, encouragingly.

Harry glared at him and clenched his jaw but Draco was worried now. Harry  _really_  didn't want to do it for some reason and Draco couldn't guess why. Weasley snapped, "How about you step up and give it a try, Malfoy? I bet you won't!"

Malfoy fixed his best glower on Weasley, muttering darkly, "It's an  _ugly_   _horse_ , Weasel. Why would  _anyone_  be scared?"

He strode forward as if to prove it. Hagrid cautioned him to slow down and Draco obeyed then gave the creature his best and lowest bow, complete with a dramatic flourish. He waited for a few seconds and was delighted when the Hippogriff bowed back. What a polite creature! Draco's confidence soared - he  _could_  do this and he might actually be good at it!

"You can pet him now, if you like, Malfoy," Hagrid said cheerfully. Draco was reluctant to show it but he actually liked the quarter-giant.

He nodded and stepped forward slowly, lifting his hand and waiting. The Hippogriff placed its beak against his hand. Draco relaxed and stroked the soft feathers of the creature's neck. His back was to the other students so he smiled at the creature and murmured, very quietly, "You're not scary at all, are you? It's just an act for you too, right?"

Buckbeak turned his head a bit to fix Draco with one lovely golden eye. Based on that look alone Draco could tell the Hippogriff was intelligent enough to understand what he was saying. He was glad he'd been the first to volunteer.

Hagrid managed to sneak up behind him - something that should have been impossible considering Hagrid's massive size. Draco didn't even notice until Hagrid suddenly grabbed him by the waist and lifted him all the ease of a loaf of bread. Hagrid plopped Draco unceremoniously on Buckbeak's back, "Seems he likes you! I reckon he'll let you fly with him!"

" _What?"_ Draco demanded incredulously, with sudden panic.

Buckbeak rushed forward and Draco had to grab on or be thrown off. Buckbeak leapt into the air and Draco's gaze met Harry's briefly. All of the other students were watching with varying degrees of shock. Harry's vibrant green eyes were alert and concerned. He was standing at the back of the class now - as far away from Buckbeak as he could get without being too obvious about it.

Then Buckbeak was climbing in the air and Draco was  _flying_. Buckbeak took Draco in a large circle across the grounds and Draco let himself grin openly now. He flew all the time on his broom but the feeling of being in the air  _never_  got old.

This was different from riding on a broom. He was riding on the back of this powerful and  _amazing_  creature. It was a breathtaking experience and one he wouldn't soon forget.

When Buckbeak eventually made his way back to the clearing, Draco had to compose himself quickly. He assumed a more dignified expression - smug satisfaction rather than open joy. Buckbeak approached the clearing from the opposite direction and flew in a path right over the heads of the students.

Everyone was staring at Draco in awe and it went straight to Draco's head. He was so proud of himself he was feeling borderline cocky. He raised a hand to smooth back his pale hair, practically preening.

What a great start to the year!

As they passed over the students, Buckbeak gave a horrible, frightened shriek and banked abruptly, altering his coarse much too sharply for Draco to maintain his hold. Draco fell and he hit the ground  _hard_. His arm got caught awkwardly underneath him and broke his fall, but only slightly. There was half a second of acute pain, more intense than anything Draco had ever felt. Immediately after, his head struck one of the exposed rocks and everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is short, I'm sorry! I will post the next one soon.


	11. Chapter 11

**< > THIRD YEAR <>**

INFIRMARY, HOGWARTS

When Draco woke, he was in the infirmary and  _everything_  ached.

He could hear the sharp sound of his father's angry voice in the background but it was muffled by the main doors of the infirmary. Draco couldn't make out the voice of whoever he was talking to but he was so furious, he was actually shouting.

"Don't you  _dare_  talk to me in that tone of voice you  _sanctimonious old fool!"_

Draco winced - it really wasn't safe for his father to get  _that_  angry. He was at risk of losing control and revealing his true lineage. Draco didn't think he'd heard his father sound quite that angry since… well, since Draco was nine years old.

At  _that_  time, Draco had been upset with his father for refusing to buy him a broom without the safety restrictions meant for children. He'd thought he was too good for children's brooms. His father wouldn't change his mind of course, no matter  _what_  Draco said. Things had eventually escalated into a full-blown argument and Draco still hadn't gotten his way. So Draco had snuck away from home to buy the broom he wanted, by himself.

He'd been supremely pleased with himself for about five minutes and then he'd underestimated the broom's speed and handling. He accidentally crashed it into a tree. When his father had finally found Draco, he'd had been hanging from a tree limb by the seat of his pants.

His father had been so angry with Draco by that point that he'd snapped the new broom in half and burned it to ashes - with his  _bare_   _hands_. Draco had known that his father wouldn't  _actually_  harm him but he'd still been absolutely terrified. That memory had served to deter him from intentionally stepping out of line ever since.

"I'm glad you're awake, Draco. I was worried about you."

Draco was startled and turned his head sharply - he regretted it immediately because it made his head throb violently. Harry was standing at the foot of his bed, cloak in hand.

Draco narrowed his eyes and muttered, "Is that an invisibility cloak?"

His voice was hoarse and his enunciation was poor. Harry gave him a small smile but it didn't reach his eyes, "Yes. I'll let you borrow it sometime."

Sometimes it was like Harry could read Draco's mind. Draco didn't understand why Harry looked so upset though. Was he really  _that_  worried about Draco? Was Draco hurt much more badly than he thought? Oh god, was he  _dying_?

He must have looked panicked because Harry said hastily, "You're going to fine, Draco. Just a concussion, some broken bones, and severe bruising. You'll be in the infirmary for a few days but you'll be fine. Do you want some water?"

Draco nodded but that made everything spin and he had to shut his eyes tightly. He heard water being poured into a glass. He opened his eyes and saw that there was now a full glass of water on the beside table but Harry was still lingering at the foot of the bed. He'd used his magic to pour the water into the glass.

Draco frowned at him, thinking Harry was acting strange.

He pushed himself upright with his good hand. His other arm was bandaged in such a way that he couldn't move it. It hurt to move but it wasn't as much pain as he'd expected. Looking at his skin he saw that he did indeed have very severe bruising, almost everywhere visible. It looked like he'd had cuts too but those had been sealed.

Harry used a spell to help position the pillows behind Draco's back so he could lean back comfortably. Draco mumbled his thanks and quickly drank a few gulps of the water. It made his throat feel much better.

"I'm so sorry, Draco," Harry said.

Draco frowned at him again over the rim of the glass, "It wasn't your fault."

"It was," Harry whispered miserably.

Draco was extremely confused and he wasn't sure if it was the concussion or if Harry just wasn't making any sense, "What? Something spooked Buckbeak and I fell off. That wasn't  _your_  fault."

Harry hesitated, just a heartbeat, then nodded, "Right, but it wouldn't have happened if you hadn't felt like you needed to protect me. You volunteered because I didn't want to."

"Oh,  _that_. Well, what are friends for?"

Harry's tense expression softened slightly and he replied quietly, "Right. Friends."

"Why are you being so weird and standing so far away?" Draco demanded. He was in no mood to mince words. His head hurt and he'd  _nearly_   _died_. "Why were you scared to get close to Buckbeak?"

"I… don't like most animals, Draco."

"What? Why did you sign up for the class then?"

Was Harry being  _purposefully_  confusing?

Harry made a frustrated sound, "Hermione and Ron… and Hagrid. I- I'm going to drop the class. I shouldn't have let anyone pressure me into taking it."

"Don't do that!" Draco interjected forcefully. "Buckbeak was  _amazing_ , Harry. You love flying as much as I do if not more. You would have absolutely  _loved_  flying with him."

Harry looked almost sad now and that seemed like a strange reaction to Draco's words. He replied, "You're probably right. I'm sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me."

"It's fine, Harry, I just wish I understood  _why_  you were afraid. It's not like you - for gods' sake you faced down a _basilisk_ without flinching… Will you come over here already? I'm not mad at you. I told you, I was happy to do it. I like being your friend, Harry."

He was surprised he'd said that out loud. He cast a quick, anxious look at Harry but Harry was smiling again. It was a small smile but this time it reached his eyes.

Yet, Harry didn't come any closer, he did the opposite and took a step backwards, "I should actually be going soon. The adults are going to come back in here any minute. I just wanted to check on you."

"Wait, did you see my father?"

Harry paused then cast an oddly standoffish look towards the main door, "Yes, but he did not see me. I do not think now would be a good time for me to speak with him. He's enraged by what happened to you, Draco. He's demanding Hagrid be fired for endangering you and I think he wants Buckbeak to be… put down."

"What? No! I'll talk to him. I won't let that happen, okay? Don't judge him too harshly, he's not thinking rationally right now. He's overly protective of me because I'm his only child. He's probably afraid that I could have been killed. Once he calms down, I'll convince him not to take any drastic actions."

Harry shifted on his feet and glanced towards the door again, "You haven't heard what he's been saying."

Draco rolled his eyes - he could imagine because he  _knew_  his father. He might need to have a stern conversation with the elder man. His father didn't realize that his temper was alienating Harry. If he did, he'd get a grip on his errant emotions faster than Draco could say 'your future mate is afraid of you'.

"If you stick around until I'm alone with him, you'll see," Draco said. "You could even help me convince him."

"I… don't have much sway with him," Harry replied tonelessly.

"That's a load of crap and you know it," Draco replied bluntly. Harry had to  _at least_ know that Draco's father valued his opinion, after all the man had done for Harry's sake.

"Dumbledore is out there. If he gets close to me he can sense me, Draco, even when I'm invisible. I cannot stay."

Draco frowned at that and muttered, " _Damn_  that bloody old coot…"

His father would literally make Draco eat soap if he heard him cursing but Draco's head hurt too much for him to care right now.

Harry nodded as if he agreed with what Draco said about Dumbledore. He said, "Will you please give your father a message for me?"

Draco blinked then nodded, "Oh, okay, yeah, I can do that."

Harry finally came closer. Draco thought his vision was still messed up because the darkness  _moved_  around Harry. He blinked a few times and everything cleared. He shivered a little, feeling a touch cold. Harry frowned in concern then took a half a step back before he whispered quickly, "It is a personal favor. Please ask him if he can put an end the questions that are being raised about Pettigrew's death."

Draco frowned, completely confused once again. That was the  _last_  thing he'd thought Harry might say, but Harry's expression was perfectly grave. Draco mumbled, "Harry, why? Whatever killed Pettigrew could be a threat to you. That's why my father has been pushing for the Aurors to continue the investigation."

"I know," Harry said abruptly, surprising Draco. "Tell him I know what killed Petter Pettigrew. He's not helping me by continuing the investigation."

Draco's eyes went wide, "You do? What was it? What happened?"

He wished he could focus better. He felt so  _cold_. Harry looked pained and he took a couple steps backwards, "Just tell him, Draco, please. If he's willing to stop asking questions then I'll give both of you the answers you want over Christmas."

"Ah… O-okay, Harry, I will, don't worry. If it's so important to you then he'll do it."

Harry moved to put on the cloak then paused and said, "Ask Lucius to  _trust_  me, Draco."

Before Draco could manage to form a reply, Harry vanished. A moment later, one of the windows opened and closed. Seconds after that, the main doors to the infirmary opened.

[][][][][]

INFIRMARY, HOGWARTS

"If my son is not safe here, I  _will_  remove either him or  _you_  from this school," Lucius seethed through gritted teeth.

Dumbledore narrowed his eyes at Lucius and Lucius dearly wanted to strike him, "Your son is perfectly safe here, as are all the students. What happened today was merely an accident. I agree, Hagrid should not have allowed untrained students to ride a magical creature. However, there is nothing to be gained from killing the poor creature and I do not believe this mistake was severe enough to cost Hagrid his livelihood."

"My son could have been  _killed_  and you want to talk to me about a man's  _pay?!"_ Lucius shouted furiously. He was seeing red at the corners of his vision.

Narcissa placed a hand on his arm gently and murmured, very carefully, "Lucius, dear, take care…"

Lucius gritted his teeth, trying to calm down. He  _knew_  he was out of control and it was very bad indeed if Narcissa was having to interfere. He glared at Dumbledore and kept his mouth shut. Narcissa spoke and her voice was like ice, "You  _will_  get rid of the giant halfbreed and dispense with that dangerous animal. We will tolerate nothing less. If you are not competent enough to manage your school properly, in a way that ensures the safety of the students you are entrusted with, then we  _will_  ensure you are replaced as headmaster of this school. We have nearly as much sway in the political area as you do now, Dumbledore, and you do not want to test our resolve.  _No one_ with children of their own will sympathize with you in this matter."

It was what Lucius should have said. It was what Lucius  _would_  have said, if his temper hadn't gotten the better of him. He was much too Veela to deal with threats to his family calmly. Veela were easily provoked to rage in such circumstances and it was sometimes a strength but often a weakness. The skin of his upper back felt taunt and it itched terribly. The tips of his fingers ached and as did his jaw.

Narcissa was right - Lucius had nearly revealed the secret of his blood. He was infinitely grateful that he had Narcissa with him tonight.

Dumbledore was silent for a long minute, staring Narcissa down. Narcissa's pale eyes were hard and cold. She was a force to be reckoned with in her own right and Lucius knew she was every bit as pissed off as he was. Dumbledore finally said, "I will need time to think the matter over. I will give you my answer in the morning."

Lucius and Narcissa stared at him until he was gone then Narcissa turned to Lucius and whispered, "Have you mastered yourself?"

Lucius nodded once. Narcissa relaxed a little and murmured, "That was too close for my comfort, Lucius. I thought I was going to have to obliviate that old man."

Her words made Lucius's lips twitch, "Do you think you could have?"

"Oh certainly," Narcissa replied confidently, waving her dainty hand. "Come, let's see to our son. I am anxious to check on him again."

Lucius opened the door for her and she brushed past him, casting him a small smirk before she hurried over to her baby boy, "Oh Draco, darling, you're awake! Mommy was so worried!"

Draco blushed, "I'm feeling fine, mother. I'm sorry for making you travel so far."

"Nonsense! Of course I had to come!" Narcissa insisted. "Darling, you were nearly  _killed!_ Oh, my heart nearly stopped when I heard the news! I thought I might faint!"

Draco got his flare for drama from his mother. Lucius sat down at the foot of Draco's bed, on the side opposite the one Narcissa had chosen. Narcissa continued on, "Marcella would have come too but the dragons- well, you know she couldn't come even if her work hadn't kept her. She sends her best wishes, darling. She is so  _fond_  of you."

Draco's lips pursed a little but he was wise enough not to say anything disparaging about Narcissa's lover. Lucius questioned, "How are you feeling? When did you wake?"

"Only a few minutes ago, father. Um, Harry was here. He just left actually."

Lucius's heart compressed painfully in his chest, "He… wouldn't stay?"

Narcissa frowned and asked curiously, "How did he leave without us noticing?"

She attempted to smooth down Draco's hair and she made a distressed noise when Draco flinched. He mumbled apologetically, "My head hurts, mother."

Narcissa pulled out her wand and started casting various healing spells.

"He jumped out that window over there," Draco said. "He has an invisibility cloak - can you  _believe_  it? Anyways, he said he was worried about Dumbledore sensing him."

Lucius leapt to his feet and went to the window immediately. There was a small, flat outcropping of roof just below. He relaxed slightly then returned to the bed. Narcissa laughed, "Dear, I'm sure your Harry isn't so short-sighted as to exit through the window without a plan as to how to safely navigate the roof."

Lucius shook his head, "He takes risks like you would  _not_  believe, Narcissa."

Narcissa smiled at him and shook her head, then resumed her healing magic. There wasn't much she could do that Pomfrey had not already done but Narcissa was working on removing what remained of the superficial wounds and bruising now. Lucius drew his wand to assist her. Draco said, "I want to talk to you about Hagrid and Buckbeak but there's something more important that I have to tell you first."

"Buckbeak?" Narcissa questioned, echoing Lucius's own confusion.

"The Hippogriff - it wasn't his fault and I don't want him killed."

The words surprised Lucius. He hadn't expected his son to come to the creature's defense. It had nearly killed him after all.

"Draco, darling-" Narcissa began in a tone Lucius recognized well. It meant that no matter what she said next, she was going to carry on doing  _whatever_  she pleased.

"I am very sorry, mother, but I have to tell father something and it is  _really_   _important_."

Narcissa narrowed her eyes dangerously but her eyes flicked over Draco's injuries and she seemed to decide to let the interruption slide, just this once. She nodded graciously and motioned for him to continue. Draco sagged a little, in obvious relief, and looked at Lucius, "Harry needs a favor from you, father. He says he knows what killed Pettigrew and he needs you to stop asking questions. He wants the investigation closed. He asked you to trust him and he said, if you do this for him, he'll answer all of your questions over Christmas break."

"Oh my, Lucius… your young mate certainly  _is_  interesting isn't he?" Narcissa crooned delightedly, smiling the smile that usually meant she was up to no good. "Why haven't I had the pleasure of meeting him yet? He seems like a great deal of fun."

Lucius pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Draco questioned hesitantly, "Father? You'll do it right? It seemed like it was  _extremely_  important to Harry."

Lucius wished that things didn't have to be so complicated where Harry was concerned. However, if Harry was the one asking for the investigation to be closed, surely that meant that whatever had killed Pettigrew was  _not_  a threat to Harry and that was the only reason Lucius had been pushing for answers in the first place. Lucius had no choice now but to trust Harry. He would have to wait for Harry to answer his questions in the boy's own time.

Lucius dropped his hand and looked at his son, "You may tell Harry that I will do as he asks of me, but I  _do_  expect answers in the near future. Presently I'm more concerned about  _you_. What  _happened_  today?"

"Father, I  _love_  the new class. I think I'm going to be good at it so I really don't want Hagrid to be fired. I  _like_  Hagrid and he's also Harry's friend. What happened today wasn't his fault and I don't think it was Buckbeak's fault either. Something unexpected spooked him - I don't know what it was but he was terrified. Before that, he was a perfectly polite creature and I felt like we shared this true understanding… Flying with him was one of the best experiences of  _my life_! I would be  _devastated_  if he was killed because of me! He doesn't deserve that at all."

Lucius shared a knowing look with Narcissa. There was no helping it - if Draco claimed the Hippogriff's death would devastate him that meant he'd be crying about it _for months_. They both remembered when Draco's first and only pet had died. It had been a small white snake named Sophia and she'd died years ago but Draco  _still_  got teary-eyed when he remembered her. Draco hid it well most of the time but he was a sensitive, soft-hearted child.

Narcissa and Lucius had learned from that trying time following Sophia's untimely death. They had resolved between them that there would be  _no_  repeat occurrences.

Narcissa sighed and said, "Very well, Draco. If that is how you feel, then we must respect your wishes and trust your judgment."

"Take care to ensure that you accept no unnecessary risks. If harm befalls you again, we cannot allow you to stay in that class," Lucius added firmly.

Narcissa nodded her agreement and put away her wand. Draco looked much improved, in body and in spirit. It was clear that he was going to be okay and Lucius was deeply relieved. He didn't know how many more incidents like this he could take.

He wished he was capable of protecting Draco forever, but Draco was getting older now. He had to start letting Draco make his own choices more often. In a few short years Draco would be an adult.


	12. Chapter 12

**< > THIRD YEAR <> **

PROFESSOR LUPIN'S OFFICE, HOGWARTS

"Thank you for coming, Harry."

"Of course, I was happy to receive your invitation," Harry replied politely. "Shall I address you as Remus or sir for this meeting?"

_I wish he didn't feel the need to be so formal. That will make this more difficult._

"Oh ah, Remus, please, Harry. I wanted to talk to you as… a friend."

 _I wish I could wait until I'm with Sirius again. He's the only person I want to discuss this with. Except, I_ can't _talk to him about this because Sirius would be furious with me if he knew that I'm suspicious of Harry. He's far too protective of Harry… but we don't even_ know _him. His parents were our friends but Harry is a stranger. Perhaps I'm being foolish but if Harry_ is _dangerous then I need to know now._

Harry's smile did not waver but he was on guard now. He had no idea where this was going or why Remus had become suspicious of him. He hoped Remus's thoughts would soon reveal his reasons.

"What do you want to talk about, Remus?"

_He looks so innocent. He's just a child. What is it about him that bothers my beast?_

Ah, so that was it. Perhaps Harry had been naive to hope that Remus would ignore the warnings of his wolf forever. This close to the full moon the wolf in him was stronger than ever and Remus was weaker than ever.

"I wanted to offer you private lessons outside of class. You can say no, but I think it would be good for you. You're performing at a level well above your peers and I think you're ready to study more advanced material."

"I would love that, Remus!" Harry lied blatantly.

_I wasn't sure he'd say yes, but that's good. That means it is less likely that my ridiculous fears are justified._

"Good. I thought we'd start with the Patronus Charm."

Harry mimicked a confused expression, "I haven't heard of that charm. What is it for?"

Inwardly, Harry was starting to feel a little panicked. Remus didn't just  _suspect_  that there was something strange about him, Remus also had the right idea about what Harry could actually be. The man was wickedly smart.

"The chief use is repelling Dementors," Remus replied, watching Harry carefully.

"Ah, do you think I'll be encountering many of those? They're pretty rare outside of Azkaban aren't they?"

"Yes, but the spell is handy for sending messages and also as a defense against other extremely dark creatures. In the unlikely event you  _do_  come across a Dementor… you'll be glad to know a defense against the creature. They are some of the most terrible monsters in existence and this single spell could very well save your life."

Harry knew Remus was looking for a reaction from him, but Harry didn't have to fake the trepidation he was feeling, "I've read about them, Remus. If there's a way to defend against them, of course I want to learn how to do it."

Remus's amber eyes flickered with uncertainty.

_That's proof isn't it? If he was a Void then he wouldn't be willing to try the spell because he'd know he was incapable of performing it. I have to be sure though. Gods, I would lose Sirius forever if he knew I was even entertaining these baseless, disloyal thoughts. He can't ever know. He'd never forgive me. Once I'm sure, I'll know that these feelings I'm having are baseless and I can try to forget about all of this awfulness. If Harry can produce even just a tiny bit of Patronus light, I'll be able to rest easy. Harry is powerful and if he's fully human, he should be plenty capable._

Harry watched warily as the wolf writhed inside of Remus, struggling to break free. Remus cleared his throat and drew his wand. His grip on his wand was so tight his knuckles were white. He stood and moved around to the other side of his desk. He pointed his wand directly at Harry and said, "Watch carefully.  _Expecto patronum!"_

Bright white light shown from Remus's wand. A glowing white wolf took shape, raced around Harry in a tight circle and then bounded about the room at random. Harry smiled as he watched the corporeal Patronus. It looked exactly like the aura of the wolf inside of Remus but its demeanor was entirely different.

Harry was very aware that Remus's gaze was fixed on him and that Remus's wand was still pointed at him. He pretended not to notice.

"It's shaped like an animal!" Harry remarked happily, pretending that this revelation was unexpected. He knew plenty about the Patronus Charm. He'd merely never attempted it. Something had always held him back. Some innate fear perhaps. Whether it was fear of the magic or fear of what his inability to perform the magic might prove, that was difficult to say. Harry himself didn't know.

Sometimes he feared he was every bit the monster the legends said he was. He knew he couldn't be, but at the same time… he hadn't wanted to test himself, just in case he was wrong.

Remus actually shared similar fears about being a werewolf. Harry empathized with him and wished that they could use that mutual understanding as a foundation for friendship. Unfortunately, that was not a possible. Harry didn't think that Remus was a monster but Remus would  _not_  feel the same about what Harry was.

"Yes, the shape is based on the unique qualities of your soul."

Harry thought that was an oversimplification and also incorrect but he said, "Oh I see. So I move the wand like you did and speak the spell and that's all there is to it?"

_One without a soul cannot feel true emotions and cannot produce a Patronus._

"No, Harry, this spell requires happiness and hope. You need to recall your happiest memory and hold onto it."

A happy memory. Harry did not have many of those. Remus had recalled a memory of Sirius laying in bed beside him, their first night together after Sirius had finally escaped Azkaban. Even after more than a decade in the presence of Dementors… Sirius had stubbornly held onto his love for Remus.

Their love was infinitely beautiful to Harry and he envied what they shared. He hoped that he might have that sort of love to look forward to, in just a few more years, because of Lucius.

If Lucius could sense that Harry was meant to be his mate, that meant Harry  _had_  to have a soul. Remus knew about that so why wasn't that enough proof for him? Maybe it was because Remus didn't trust Lucius.

It had been proof enough for Harry. He clung to that memory in his mind - to the confirmation that he was enough for at least one person, just as he was. It was his greatest hope for true happiness. He raised his wand just as Remus had and called out confidently, " _Expecto patronum!"_

Blinding light exploded from the tip of his wand and a massive lion formed from that light. The beast leapt forward at Remus and opened its jaw wide in a silent roar of defiance. Remus actually stumbled several steps backward, his amber eyes wide with shocked disbelief. Remus looked between Harry and the corporal Patronus, with obvious awe.

"Y-You actually did it!" Remus stammered. "On the  _first try!"_

Harry put away his wand and his Patronus faded slowly. He grinned widely, "Looks like I won't have to worry about Dementors now."

_That's it then! Thank Merlin I was wrong! Why did I let that damnable wolf affect me for so long for so little reason? I've been worried all this time for nothing!_

[][][][][]

SIXTH FLOOR, HOGWARTS

Harry was on his way back to Gryffindor Tower when he happened upon Albus Dumbledore. Harry had taken a longer, less-used route up the dorm but he quickly gathered from the headmaster's thoughts that he'd intentionally placed himself in Harry's path and he'd been waiting on Harry.

"That is close enough!"

Albus motioned for him to stop, approximately twenty feet away. They stood at opposite ends of the hallway from each other. Harry rolled his eyes but kept his mouth shut and obeyed. Albus's eyes were absent of their usual twinkle as he appraised Harry coldly. Harry tried to smooth his expression and hide his contempt for the man.

When Albus didn't speak immediately Harry volunteered a topic, "I just performed the Patronus Charm. I'm not only capable of it, I can produce a  _corporeal_  Patronus."

Albus narrowed his gaze, "Do you believe that is some indication of your goodness?"

_You try so hard to convince others that you are like them, but you are not. You are monster. Whether or not you have some semblance of a soul, it does not change your profoundly dark nature._

Harry flinched and looked at the floor, "What do you want from me, sir?"

"You killed Peter Pettigrew."

Harry glared at Albus once more, immediately defensive, "He betrayed my parents. He was responsible for their deaths and the deaths of a dozen innocent muggles too. He framed my godfather. Sirius spent more than a decade in Azkaban because of him and because of  _you_."

Albus ignored Harry's bitter accusation, "You  _swore_  to me you would kill no one."

"He was a traitor and a murderer!" Harry shouted fiercely. He was upset about having to defend his actions to Albus. He felt killing Pettigrew had been perfectly justified under the circumstances. If anything, Albus should have been grateful.

_DO NOT RAISE YOUR VOICE!_

Harry flinched again, gritting his teeth. He was not cowed, however, and he hissed vehemently, "What of what you did to  _Quirinus Quirrell?_ He didn't need to die. When you found us I was draining Voldemort specifically. If you hadn't interfered I could have  _destroyed_  him. Instead you-"

"I spared Quirinus a fate worse than death," Albus replied, just as angrily.

"I  _wasn't_  going to eat his soul!" Harry snapped.

Albus was looking at him as if Harry were lower than dirt and Harry knew that his words were worthless to Albus. He knew he wasn't a person in Albus's mind, just a monster to be controlled. He was a weapon needed to destroy Voldemort and after that, a problem that Albus felt responsible for terminating. Albus made no secret of his ultimate intentions for Harry.

He was going to bury Harry alive, deep under the ground. He was going to leave Harry to starve - both his mortal body  _and_  gluttonous immortal soul. It would be an  _unbearably_  slow death. Harry would suffer for many years and he would be insane long before he actually died. Every Void that had ever been made had been ended in exactly the same way. All except Harry.

 _If left unchecked you would eat the souls of_ everyone _in this school._

Harry shook his head but didn't speak. There was a hard lump in his throat now. He'd been feeling more cheerful than ever after leaving Remus's office but that feeling was long gone. Trust Albus to show up just to drag him back down into despair.

However, the man actually had another reason for seeking Harry out and it was significantly worse than any deliberate attempt to ruin Harry's happiness.

"You killed Peter Pettigrew," Albus said again. "It was a breach of our agreement. Even if not for that, surely you did not think I would allow you to stay with Sirius Black? No, when you go back to Grimmauld Place over Christmas you will do whatever is necessary to convince Sirius that you want to live with the Dursleys once more. You will also ask him to sign over his rights as your guardian to me instead."

"No," Harry said quietly, feeling sick to his stomach.

"What was that?" Albus questioned intensely, his wrinkled expression pinched as if he'd tasted something sour.

"I won't do it," Harry replied. His voice was stronger now.

"You will either do it or I will do it. I would prefer to let Sirius remain a free man but if you force my hand I will do whatever is necessary to maintain control over you. Sirius won't readily give you up unless he believes it is what you want."

"Do you think you're really in control now? Do you think I couldn't devour you if I wanted to? You have more magic than me right now but you know that doesn't matter. You can't hurt me." Harry smirked and licked his lips hungrily, "I can  _taste_  your fear, even from this far away. You really shouldn't tempt a  _monster_  like me."

_No, he can't possibly- That strong already? I cant-_

The thoughts were fragmented and scattered, almost panicked. Harry laughed harshly but he didn't find  _any_  of this funny, "You try so hard to lie to me but you will always fail because you cannot lie to yourself. You think I can't hear everything but I can. You try to control your thoughts and shield your mind, but it doesn't matter. What you know about my kind is conjecture based on legend. You can barely wrap your mind around what I am. You can't imagine how you look through my eyes but I'll tell you, Albus. You look  _exactly_  like everyone else."

Harry knew he was making a mistake in talking to Albus like this, yet he kept on talking. He ignored every red flag he sensed from the old man. Albus's fear increased along with his anger and it was much too satisfying. Harry wanted to knock Albus down a little, make him feel as bad as he made Harry feel.

 _I am the greatest wizard in this world! I could never be 'exactly like everyone else'! He's bluffing. He can't see anything I don't want him to. He's not stronger than me, not yet, and I'll ensure he'll_ never _be. I've kept him controlled thus far. I cannot lose control now. I haven't lived this long and worked this hard to get to where I am, only to have my knees cut out from under me by a demon child. Too many people rely upon my leadership. They would all be lost without me to guide them. I cannot show any weakness._

Harry regretted his foolish words immediately and wished he could take it all back. He saw the resolve in Albus before the man said, "You will either do as I'm telling you… or I will tell Sirius and Remus what you are. They would give you up  _happily_  then."

_You are an abomination and once they know it, you won't be able to use them any longer. They will fear you and they will hate you. You aren't the person they think you are. You took a body that never belonged to you._

That was the crux of the matter wasn't it? Harry  _wasn't_  the person everyone thought he was. Sirius loved him because he thought Harry was Lilly and James's son. If Albus told him the truth, Sirius would never look at him the same ever again.

He would see Harry for the thief and imposter that he was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 13 will be about Christmas break! I need to finish some chapters for my other stories so it might be a little while before I post Chapter 13 of this story. I apologize in advance for the wait but it shouldn't be too long. 
> 
> Happy Valentine's Day, by the way! <3


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this was a long and very difficult chapter to write... but hopefully it answers everyone's questions and hopefully I don't lose anybody while trying to explain everything. Let me know what you guys think!

**< > THIRD YEAR <>**

MALFOY MANOR

Lucius sat in front of the fireplace in his personal study, waiting for Harry. He checked his pocket watch once more then counted down the seconds. At precisely ten o'clock Harry appeared in the middle of the expensive Persian area rug and stumbled forward a few steps before straightening. Lucius rose to his feet, "Welcome to Malfoy Manor, Harry. I have to say, I was surprised when you indicated to Draco your preference to meet here rather than talking at Grimmauld Place."

It meant that either Remus and Sirius did not know what had killed Peter Pettigrew or that, if they  _did_  know, they would not approve of Harry telling Lucius.

The study was lit with only the light from the fireplace but Harry's green eyes were as bright as ever. It was good to see the boy again. Lucius hadn't even realized he'd been tense until he felt his muscles relax.

"We're long overdue for a private talk, I think," Harry said quietly, extending his hand to offer his portkey to Lucius. Lucius had created the portkey from one of his own rings and he slipped it back onto his right index finger now.

"First of all, I want to thank you for trusting me and for ending the investigation."

"Of course, Harry, how could I do anything else?" Lucius gestured towards the plush armchairs in front of the fire, "Please, take a seat and make yourself comfortable. Would you like anything to drink or to eat?"

Harry shook his head, "No, I couldn't possibly eat right now, but thank you. Can I… can I trust you to keep what I tell you between the two of us?"

Lucius frowned slightly as he sat down in the chair across from Harry, thinking that Harry seemed extremely nervous. Lucius pitched his voice in a gentle, soothing tone, in an attempt to put the boy at ease, "Harry, you can trust me and you are safe here. Allow me to assure you that you are worrying needlessly."

Harry closed his eyes briefly and rubbed his hands over his face, "You cannot make such assurances before I've told you everything that you don't know."

That was fair, from Harry's perspective. Harry did not know that he held all the power in their relationship. He did not know that Lucius would soon be  _dependent_  upon his favor. He also did not know Lucius would do anything for him and accept him unconditionally. Lucius said quietly, "You're brave, Harry, so try me. You might be surprised."

Harry dropped his hands and looked at Lucius, smiling at him in a distinctly wistful way. He questioned, "May I please speak to you informally and call you Lucius tonight?"

Lucius frowned slightly, "Of course, Harry. You always could."

Lucius waited for Harry to speak but he didn't. He thought that the boy was struggling with himself or perhaps trying to find the right words. So, Lucius leaned back in his chair and resolved to wait until Harry was ready. For Harry, he had nothing but time.

Harry's gaze flicked towards him, his expression oddly grateful, then he stared into the fire for a while, gradually becoming calmer by degrees. At long last, Harry spoke and when he did it was a question, "Lucius, do you know what voids are?"

Of all the things Harry could have brought up, this surprised Lucius. He shook his head in initial confusion but then he paused. A void was a completely empty space, of course, synonymous with a vacuum. However, Harry was an intelligent boy and it was not likely that he would ask Lucius for the definition of a common word.

'Do you know what  _Voids_  are?' It wasn't a noun in that sentence, it was a  _proper_  noun.

"I… believe I actually  _am_  familiar with that word, in the context you're implying," Lucius said. "You are asking me about the spawn of Dementors and humans, correct?"

Harry nodded affirmatively and questioned, "Can you please tell me more?"

Lucius presumed that this conversation was going somewhere but he couldn't imagine where and that bothered him. He wasn't sure if Harry was asking because he didn't know or if maybe Harry was testing his knowledge.

Lucius leaned back in his chair and began his explanation at the most  _fundamental_  level, "A thousand years ago, it was common practice for magical human families to breed with magical creatures in order to strengthen the magic of their bloodlines. Usually a combination of potions, transfiguration, and other spells were necessary in order to successfully produce crossbreeds that appeared human and were capable of reproducing. The interbreeding practices varied from family to family and were often considered to be coveted family secrets. The practice was so widespread in the past that the vast majority of witches and wizards alive today have at least  _some_  non-human blood in their veins."

Lucius paused but he still wasn't able to read Harry's expression so he continued, "Over the years it has become illegal to breed with most magical creatures, except a select few. It is largely frowned upon now and it is possible that in Wizarding Britain it will soon be illegal to breed with  _any_  magical creature. As you know, Veela blood is prominent in my family and I am, of course, lobbying to prevent more restrictive legislation. I would prefer to see minimal restrictions or even a return to the old ways. That is why I originally backed the Dark Lord, because his views aligned with mine."

Harry nodded again and interjected, "Yes, Lucius, I understand that and I agree with you. You don't need to defend yourself to me. Please continue."

Lucius was marginally relieved and he relaxed once more. He said, "The breeding regulations were initially instituted because of the Voids. They were abominations and they should never have happened. No one alive today understands  _how_  they were created. It was unprecedented and previously unthinkable, to combine Dementor and human blood… The resulting offspring were monsters unlike anything ever seen. They appeared fully human but they lacked human souls. They had no magic of their own and instead they fed upon the ambient magic around them. They were significantly stronger than either humans or Dementors, with traits that were unlike either species. They were particularly dangerous because they were limited only by the magic they were able to consume. In the right conditions, their power was seemingly without limit. They could easily absorb the power of ten or a hundred or even a thousand or more witches and wizards."

Lucius shook his head and concluded, "Their makers attempted to kill them when they realized their mistake… but the dark souls of those Voids were fundamentally different from the souls of humans and they merely took possession of new bodies when their original bodies were slain. There were 27 Voids made and ultimately every Void was buried alive deep underneath the soil, inside tombs made of iron. Without magic to feed upon, each and every one of them died in those tombs. It took almost a century to destroy all of them and every wizarding nation in the world agreed to institute breeding regulations in order to prevent the creation of such monsters in the future. Unfortunately,  _our_  nation currently has some of the strictest regulations in the world."

Harry seemed satisfied with Lucius's explanation but not surprised. That answered Lucius's earlier question about whether or not Harry already knew the history of Voids. So, the new question was, why was any of this relevant? Harry leaned forward and said grimly, "Lucius, all of this is relevant because a Void killed Peter Pettigrew."

Lucius's blood ran cold and he didn't hesitate before replying, "That is  _impossible_."

Harry's expression did not shift. He stared at Lucius intently, as if waiting.

The truth was sitting right in front of him but Lucius's mind reeled away from it, not  _wanting_  to believe it. There was a possible explanation for Harry's strange behavior but Harry  _couldn't_  be a Void. It wasn't  _actually_   _possible_.

Harry sank back into his chair now, dropping his gaze as he murmured, "I knew you'd puzzle it out quickly once I gave you all the pieces."

It had been a very long time since Lucius had felt this kind of fear.

Harry cast him a pained look. He spoke softly and earnestly now, "Lucius, I promise I'm not going to hurt you or your family. Please, don't be afraid of me. If… if you can't accept me then no one ever will. I'm not so terrible as you think."

Lucius felt physically ill. Harry had been responding to things Lucius hadn't even  _said_.

Could Voids read minds too? Harry certainly could. Lucius wished now that he had studied Voids better but there was so little reliable information about them. There were so few of them and they were all supposed to dead!  _Long_  dead - a  _thousand_  years dead! How was it possible for such a creature to be alive? To be his  _mate_? Void souls shouldn't even be  _compatible_  with normal souls.

"Lucius please, my soul  _is_  compatible with yours. I feel and think just like you. I'm not evil and I'm not a monster. The only person I've killed - that I can remember - is Peter Pettigrew and I did it because I had to.  _You've_  killed more people than I have for much less reason and I don't hold  _that_  against you so don't hold  _this_  against-"

"Get out of my head!" Lucius snarled, his visceral fear lending a cutting edge to his voice.

Harry flinched and blinked quickly, "I… I can't, Lucius, please forgive me, I can't help it."

A single tear fell and drew a line down his cheek, glistening in the firelight. Lucius went still when he noticed and then he really  _looked_  at Harry again. The boy looked absolutely miserable - because of  _Lucius_. The realization was just as abrupt and painful as a knife between his ribs. He instantly regretted being harsh with the boy.

Harry had entrusted him with his most vulnerable secret and he feared now that Lucius would forsake him. There was still much about Harry that Lucius did not know but he  _did_  know that Harry was meant to be his mate. That meant that either the ancient legends had to be wrong or Harry had to be the exception to the rule.

Harry was  _not_  a monster.

Lucius believed that Harry hadn't ever hurt anyone who hadn't deserved it. Harry had protected Lucius's son in the Chamber of Secrets. Harry had protected _all_ of the children and teachers in Hogwarts by facing down the Dark Lord _twice_ in the last three years. Harry had been a friend to Draco and he was always quick to encourage and praise him. Furthermore, Harry must have known all along what he meant to Lucius and he hadn't rejected him.

Harry was Harry.  _Harry was kind._

Harry lifted his head, as if startled by Lucius's thoughts, and he wiped away his tears with obvious embarrassment. His green eyes flickered across Lucius's face and there was something cautiously hopeful in his expression now but it was mixed with disbelief.

Lucius rose to his feet and walked over to Harry. He knelt before Harry, taking Harry's hands in his own, "Harry, I beg of you your forgiveness. Please help me understand."

Harry swallowed then drew his hands away from Lucius's, "You should return to your chair. The closer you are, the more power I draw from you. When you touch me it's… the connection is so much, it's almost overwhelming."

Lucius remained where he was and asked, "Overwhelming bad? As in, it causes you pain?"

"Overwhelming good," Harry whispered guiltily, avoiding his gaze. "It feels good, like being whole. It's the only time I ever actually feel satisfied.

Lucius slowly lifted his hands and took Harry's hands in his once more. Harry stared at him with wide eyes but didn't pull his hands away again. Lucius questioned gently, "Is it safe for me to stay with you like this?"

He was going to remain where he was even if it wasn't. He couldn't even tell Harry was pulling power from him. There were no strange sensations, it merely felt good to touch Harry. It soothed Lucius's instincts and made it easier to stay calm. Being here with Harry felt absolutely right.

Harry nodded hesitantly, still staring at him disbelievingly, "You are strong and healthy. Unless I was  _trying_  to take power from you, I think it would take at least a day of constant physical contact with me to drain you to a dangerous extent. I'd never try to hurt you but you'd be able to tell if I was taking more than I should. If you're ever weak or magically exhausted or otherwise vulnerable, you'll start to feel cold when I'm near. Your best defense then would be to get far away from me. My range right now is about thirty feet, but that changes."

Lucius squeezed Harry's hands and settled more comfortably on the floor, "I believe you, Harry."

Harry gave him a small smile and Lucius returned it. He had many questions but he wasn't sure what to ask first. He was reluctant to upset Harry again. He needed to make up for his abysmal first reaction, if he could.

"It's okay, I  _want_  to answer your questions, Lucius. I think right now you're most curious about how the mind-reading works," Harry said quietly, reading his mind again. "You're particularly disconcerted because you're so proficient at Occlumency. I'll try to tell you how I do it but it's… complicated. I don't think I've ever had to explain it to anyone."

"In what way is it complicated?" Lucius asked, attempting to brace himself for further confusion on top of everything else.

"You need to understand more about what I am and how I sustain myself. I think the best way to begin would be to say that every soul has an aura and it's like… it's similar to how a physical body radiates heat, actually. Magical souls generate magic, so auras are actually excess magic. Most people can't see it, but it's always there and it's always visible to me. Auras are typically what I…  _absorb_  and convert into my own unnatural version of magic. It's how I stay alive."

Lucius thought he was following so far. He'd read theories about auras before. Some people thought auras were essential for wandless magic or certain types of magical specializations, like potions. On the other hand, there were also people who professed to seeing auras and attaching some sort of significance to the color but they were usually crackpots like Sybill Trelawney. He hadn't ever read much about  _those_ theories. Lucius asked, "Do you do it constantly?"

Harry nodded, "I can't help it. It's a constant pull inwards, like magnetism or gravity… I can literally see when someone comes into the reach of my influence. I can watch their aura start to pull away from them and spiral in towards me. It happens automatically and I can't stop it, but I can pull in more than I need if I want to. Also, sometimes I do unintentionally pull in more than I normally do when I'm enraged or injured. If you're ever around me when that happens you should get far away from me immediately."

Harry paused then, searching Lucius's face. Lucius nodded to show that he was following but he supposed Harry had likely gathered that much from his thoughts. Harry drew in a steadying breath and continued, "When I'm absorbing another person's magic… I have a direct link to them. Magic is sort of like a song, only every soul sings in an entirely unique language. Once I absorb a little of a soul, I can understand the individual's unique language. Then, when I'm fluent in their language, I can understand their thoughts and feelings with a precision that far surpasses Legilimency. Occlumency cannot guard against it because… well, what I do circumvents that kind of thing. You can't protect your mind from yourself - you're always aware of what you're thinking, no matter what sort of barriers you erect around yourself. When you're within my sphere of influence, I'm not on the outside looking in - a small part of me  _is_  you."

Lucius would have been lying if he'd said he wasn't unnerved but he nodded and tried to stay calm. He wasn't used to the inner workings of his mind being laid bare for another individual to peruse but this wasn't just anyone - this was  _Harry._ Lucius knew he was going to have to get used to the uncomfortable feeling of vulnerability.

"I wish I could stop it but I can't," Harry said apologetically. "If anything, it's like anti-Legilimency or Legilimency in reverse.  _Your_  thoughts enter  _my_  mind against my will and it's usually not pleasant for me. If you don't want me to hear your thoughts then your best defense is to stay away from me or approach me in a crowd. In crowds of people it is very hard for me to distinguish individual voices. You liked the singing analogy before so, you should think of it like listening to singers in a choir - it's nearly impossible to hear just  _one_  singer's voice, even if you try."

"I can't help but notice that this is the third time you've tried to give me a way to… defend myself against you," Lucius observed quietly.

Harry looked down at their joined hands, "I'm aware of the power imbalance between us and I hope if I tell you these thing you'll feel somewhat safer around me. I know you don't have a choice in who your mate is and… I don't want you to despair because I happen to be a Void. I want you to feel safe because you  _are_  safe with me."

"I know that, Harry," Lucius replied honestly, his heart aching for the boy. He couldn't imagine how lonely Harry had been all these years, keeping everyone around him at a distance and never being able to actually confide in anyone. "I may not have any choice in my mate, but please believe that I am not at all unhappy that  _you_  are meant to be my mate when you come of age."

Harry's expression became a little strange. He hesitated then said meaningfully, "I am  _not_  thirteen years old, Lucius. I am  _significantly_  older."

 _That_  gave Lucius pause and he had about a minute of serious internal conflict before he finally shook his head and replied, "Your  _body_  is."

Harry studied him for a moment then smiled at him and nodded his understanding. Lucius did wonder though, exactly how old Harry actually was. How would that new, unknown timeline fit in with the events that had happened the night Harry's parents had been killed? Harry had definitely been a baby that night, hadn't he? Also, had someone figured out how to combine Dementors with humans once again or…? No, but surely neither Lilly or James Potter would have ever thought to even attempt to create a Void? Was it that Harry aged slowly or-?

Harry responded to his unspoken thoughts, "No, Lucius, let me stop you there before you get both of us confused. It's actually very simple. I'm one of the original 27."

"How is that even  _possible_?" Lucius demanded. He had dismissed that idea immediately.

"I… I'm trying to be as honest with you as I can, Lucius, but when I answer questions about my past lives I need you to keep in mind that I don't really know for certain. My memories of my past lives are few and fractured."

"Past lives?"

Harry shrugged, "That's what we would call it, the other Voids and I. Think of what you already said about Void souls taking possession of new bodies after being killed. My original body is nothing but dirt now and I've had many bodies since then. Whenever my mortal body passes… my soul has to find a new, unoccupied body. Newly deceased unborn babies are best. Once we inhabit the new body we automatically pull on the magic we need to repair the body and restart normal physiological function. However, the mental faculties of a baby just aren't those of an adult. It is impossible to hold onto old memories for long and we don't try. We start fresh. Every new body is like starting a new life. Eventually some memories from our past lives  _do_  resurface, but by that point we've already established a new life for ourself. Most memories remain forgotten out of necessity. From what I've gathered from my personal experiences, it is much easier to bear eternity that way. "

What Harry was describing was a life cycle that was completely foreign to Lucius. It wasn't a straight line, it was a circle. He decided not to dwell on it too long right now and he changed the subject, "You have  _no idea_ how you survived when none of the other Voids did?"

Harry hesitated and Lucius could see that Harry  _did_  have an inkling of how it had happened. Harry looked at him and nodded reluctantly, "I know for certain that I was buried alive like the others, but I think I was freed by an earthquake. From what I can gather, that iteration of myself was entirely insane by that point and I think it took several lifetimes for me to recover mentally. It is extremely difficult to try to recall those memories from so far back. I'm too far separated from that time and I'm an entirely different person now. In the beginning I didn't even feel emotions like I do now."

Lucius nodded slowly, "I see."

Harry's lips quirked with a hint of humor, "Are you sure about that?"

"I'm trying, Harry," Lucius amended, with a strained chuckle. "I think it will take me… quite some time to wrap my head around  _everything_  that you're telling me."

"I'm just grateful you're trying," Harry replied sincerely. "As far as I know, no one has  _ever_  accepted me… but I've also never had a soulmate, that I can recall. You've made me hopeful enough to attempt telling you these things."

Lucius moved his thumbs over Harry's palms soothingly, "I will endeavor to be worthy of your trust. Thank you for  _your_  willingness to consider bonding with me in the future."

Harry raised an eyebrow, "Lucius, in my mind there is nothing to consider."

Lucius blinked at him, taken aback. He hadn't thought there was anything left that could shock him after all that Harry had said. Harry laughed and when he bit his lip to stop himself there was obvious fondness shining in his lovely green eyes, "Lucius, believe me, I need you as much as you need me. When the time comes, I will be infinitely grateful for your unconditional love. I think you have the right idea though, about waiting until I am of age to discuss that particular subject openly. We should avoid speaking of it until closer to that time, to avoid any awkwardness or misunderstandings. We have four years yet, unfortunately. I only want you to stop worrying about it so much. You don't need to court me or take pains to win me over. When the time comes, I  _will_  be yours."

Lucius had had so many plans though and he had gone through so much effort already… was all for naught? Harry would have agreed to bond with him irregardless? Lucius was almost…  _disappointed_.

Harry winked at him and whispered, "Feel free to follow through with your plans. You've already spoiled me. If you stop trying to woo me now then I can promise you I'll be thoroughly disgruntled."

Lucius laughed a little, "Would you? Well, we certainly can't have that."

Lucius rose to his feet and drew away from Harry. He took his seat once more, wondering where to go from here. Harry questioned, "Would you prefer if I acted like I don't know what you're thinking?"

Lucius didn't think there was much point in pretending otherwise. Harry nodded in response. It was disturbing, for the boy to be able to read Lucius's mind with such ease when Lucius's mental barriers were firmly in place. Even Legilimency did not work so well against unguarded minds. Harry looked vaguely apologetic and Lucius resisted the urge to laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation he found himself struggling to properly navigate. He worried he might sound hysterical.

Harry said quietly, "If it makes you feel better about it, you're taking this  _much_  better than I expected."

That  _was_  somewhat comforting, considering Harry knew what he was thinking and feeling. Harry wasn't fooled by Lucius's calm exterior. Lucius tried to order his thoughts. There was one thing that came to mind and he spoke it aloud immediately, "Why did you decide to tell me the truth now? You could have lied to me about your reasons for wanting the investigation closed."

"I need your help," Harry replied simply.

"My help?" Lucius echoed, wondering what he could do that a Void couldn't.

"Lucius, you can do  _plenty_  that I cannot. Your assistance has been invaluable to me in the past. You've provided me with information I wouldn't have known otherwise. You've protected me by altering public opinion. You cleared my godfather's name and more besides  _that_  even."

Lucius supposed Harry had a point. Harry might famous and powerful, but the Wizarding World still considered him a child and if the wrong person found out  _why_  he was so powerful then he  _would_  be killed. His very  _existence_  was illegal… which was all the more reason for Lucius to redouble his efforts in the political arena to reduce breeding restrictions.

Harry's expression was grave and he nodded in agreement before continuing, "Don't ever make the mistake of thinking I'm all-powerful, Lucius. I merely get my magic in a different way than you do. There are some advantages that come with that but there are actually many more  _disadvantages_. For example, Albus is currently using the age of my body and the secret of what I am against me in order to control me."

"You told  _Albus Dumbledore_  what you are?" Lucius demanded incredulously. Surely Harry was too intelligent to have made such an idiotic mistake.

"No, he  _found out_ ," Harry muttered darkly. "On the night my parents were killed."

Lucius's skin prickled with unease - did Harry actually  _remember_  that night? Harry shook his head, "I was a baby then so no, I don't really remember. I assume after I was hit with the killing curse I automatically drew in extra power in order to save my own life.  _That_  would have killed Voldemort. Maybe part of his soul got away but I have no idea. There must have been enough clues left behind for Dumbledore to piece things together. He's keeping me around because of a prophecy that says I will be the only one who can kill Voldemort. He placed me with the Dursleys in order to keep me from becoming too powerful, in the meantime. There is so little magic in muggle communities that I never got what I needed. I was barely surviving. Every summer when I go back to them, I am eventually reduced to that state."

"He will take issue with your new guardian then," Lucius murmured thoughtfully, trying to focus on the most pressing issue and not get swept away by the things he did not know.

"Yes, exactly. He wants me to convince Sirius that I want to go back to living with the Dursleys. He also wants me to get Sirius to sign over his custodial rights."

"What can Albus do to you if you don't obey?"

Lucius didn't like how anxious Harry appeared, "He can't let the secret of what I am get out because he still needs me to destroy Voldemort. So, he'll either ruin Sirius and Remus's lives or… he'll tell what I am, Lucius."

"Would that be so terrible? Telling them?" Lucius had been prepared for worse, really.

"Yes!" Harry insisted immediately. "Lucius,  _you're_  barely able to accept me and you're… well,  _you_   _know_. You say you're happy enough about it but you don't  _really_  have a choice. Sirius and Remus only care about me because I'm Lilly and James's son. They'll think I'm a monstrous entity possessing the body of what would have been Harry Potter. They'll cease to think of me as me."

"You  _are_  you though," Lucius replied. "You are the only Harry Potter that they've ever known. When they knew Harry Potter as a baby, that was you. They might surprise you, if you approach the subject very carefully."

Harry merely shook his head, dismissing the idea without even considering it.

Lucius frowned then said, "Let me talk to them for you if you believe you cannot. Once they know the truth, Albus Dumbledore can no longer use that particular threat against you. If it is possible that they will find out eventually, it is better that they do not hear it from him first. They also need to know what is going on in order to be able to deal with Albus properly. I will certainly help you protect them from him but they are more capable of protecting themselves than you give them credit for."

Lucius paused briefly then added, "I would like your permission to tell my family as well, including my wife's lover and my son's godfather. I can personally guarantee their support."

Harry was silent for a long time. Lucius did not push Harry to accept his proposal, he merely let Harry think it through. At long last Harry finally met his gaze and asked, "Do you really think there is a possibility that they might all accept me if they knew the truth?"

Lucius nodded and replied honestly, "I do, Harry. I wouldn't have ever made the suggestion if I wasn't confident."

"Very well then," Harry replied solemnly. "My life is in your hands, Lucius."


	14. Chapter 14

**< > THIRD YEAR <>**

12 GRIMMAULD PLACE

"What do you  _want_ , Lucius?" Sirius demanded. "It's Christmas Eve for Merlin's sake. It's bad enough that Harry wants to share tomorrow with  _your entire family_ …"

Sirius had his arms crossed and he looked extremely irritated. Lucius replied coolly, "Do try to smother your antipathy. I have already told you that this concerns Harry."

"Out with it then!" Sirius snapped impatiently. "What do you know about Harry that we don't?"

Remus placed a hand on his arm, "Sirius, calm down. Let's hear what he has to say before getting carried away. We still have to see them tomorrow too, for Harry's sake. Harry will be upset if that doesn't happen due to you  _brawling_ _with Lucius_  in our formal sitting room."

Sirius looked like he might rather die than listen to Lucius calmly but he sucked in a deep breath and managed, " _Please_ , Lucius, take a seat and make yourself  _comfortable_."

It was one of the most threatening invitations Lucius had ever heard but Lucius took a seat anyways, in one of the four dusty armchairs available to choose from. Sirius and Remus sat down together on the couch across from Lucius, rousing a small cloud of dust that made Remus sneeze.

Lucius held Sirius's black gaze and spoke to the man as earnestly as he was able to, "We all need to put aside our personal feelings and attempt to find common ground. I am willing to try to be friendly with you for Harry's sake."

Sirius looked away and his shoulders sagged slightly. He muttered reluctantly, "I'm hearing you… and you're not wrong."

Remus patted Sirius's arm in a consoling manner and Sirius sighed. Remus smiled at him fondly and shook his head before pinning Lucius with a hard look, "What do you need to tell us about Harry?"

"First I need an Unbreakable Vow from both of you."

Sirius leapt to his feet and shouted, "Are you kidding me?! For what?!"

Remus grabbed his hand and yanked him back down onto the couch with a casual display of superhuman strength. Remus was usually careful to hide it, but he was significantly stronger than any human his size should have been. Remus growled low in his throat, " _Stay. Calm."_

Lucius watched the power dynamics of their relationship with great amusement. He had never seen Sirius look so browbeaten. It was clear who was  _really_  in control.

Remus looked at Lucius and questioned calmly, "What vow do you want from us?"

"I need you both to vow that if either of you cannot accept the secret I am about to tell you, you will allow me to remove the memory of this evening from your minds before I leave your home. It is non-negotiable."

"You can confirm that this secret concerns Harry?" Remus questioned intently.

"Yes. If either one of you cannot accept Harry's secret then I would be better able to protect him if neither of you to knew it. It is a delicate matter and I can take no unnecessary risks."

There was a long moment of silence then Remus said, "I'll swear the Unbreakable Vow."

"Remus, no, we can't  _possibly_  agree to such a thing!"

Remus shook his head at his mate, looking resigned, "Lucius won't tell us otherwise and if it's about Harry then we need to know. The way I see it, we don't have any other choice."

Sirius fisted his hands in his hair and yanked on the strands, groaning explosively. Then he dropped his hands and snapped, " _Fine!"_

Lucius relaxed somewhat after they had both spoken their vows. It was a sort of safety net for him. If this conversation went badly he would either try again later or pursue an alternate course of action for keeping Harry out of Albus's hands. He said, "I believe your willingness to swear such a vow to me speaks to the depth of your love for Harry. You both care for him very dearly, do you not?"

Remus and Sirius shared a meaningful glance then Sirius slanted a strange look at Lucius, like he suspected that Lucius might actually be the dimmest sort of halfwit imaginable.

" _Of_   _course_  we do."

The sentence was punctuated with a silent 'you idiot'. Lucius didn't usually let people look at him or talk to him in such a disrespectful manner but in conversations with Sirius he had to exercise considerable self-restraint.

"Would you still love him if he wasn't what you thought he was? If he was a muggle, perhaps, or a squib? What if he was a werewolf or a vampire or some other type of creature?"

Remus went oddly still but Sirius scoffed and said, "Of course! What kind of stupid question is that?"

Sirius couldn't go two full minutes without saying something insulting. His abject lack of self-control was astounding but not unexpected. Lucius fixed his gaze on Remus, who had reacted in the more peculiar way and was notably silent. Lucius really had not anticipated that  _Remus_  would be the more problematic of the two men.

"Where exactly are you going with this?" Remus hesitantly questioned.

"You wouldn't love Harry unless he was fully human." Lucius accused scathingly. "I expected more from a  _werewolf_."

Lucius rose to his feet as he spoke and looked down his nose at the man. He struggled with himself for just a second but he failed to quell his own ire. The skin of his fingertips itched in warning but he merely clenched his hands into fists.

Remus's wary expression twisted with guilt, confirming Lucius's suspicions. The werewolf's blatant hypocrisy was nothing sort of disgusting. Sirius came to Remus's defense immediately, snapping at Lucius angrily, "That's  _not_  what he was saying! Right Remus?"

Remus was shaking his head quickly now, "N-No, I… I merely…"

Lucius glared down at Remus, thinking of how he'd  _dearly_  like to set the man on fire. He just didn't have the same faith in him that Sirius seemed to. Lucius pitched his voice low with contempt and dealt the only wound he was able to, "You may hate yourself but Harry knows what you are, Remus. It has never changed anything  _for him."_

Remus's nervous expression crumbled and he looked aghast, "Harry  _knows_?"

"Harry knows and  _he_   _does not care,"_ Lucius insisted harshly, going for the throat.

Remus slumped back into his seat, covering his face with his hands. Sirius turned towards his lover, whispering uncertainly, "Moony, what's going on? Would you really not care for Harry if he turned out to be-?"

Remus dropped his hands and now he looked tortured - nearly to the point of tears, "The wolf is  _terrified_  of Harry!"

Sirius drew away from Remus, appearing shocked by the sudden exclamation. He looked at Remus as if he didn't recognize him. Remus wiped at his eyes, and pleaded, "Sirius please, I don't  _know_  why! I've been trying to deal with it and I don't  _want_  to feel this way but, the feeling is  _always_  there and what if the wolf is actually right? What if Harry is actually something terrible and dangerous? What if-?"

Lucius remained perfectly still, waiting to see how this argument played out. Neither of them even seemed to be aware of Lucius anymore and Lucius was fine with that for now.  _All_  information was information that he could potentially use later.

Sirius rose to his feet now and shouted, "Harry is Harry! I'd love him anyways! I can't  _believe_  you right now! There is nothing wrong with being less than human, Remus! When will you get that through your damn head? How many people know what you are now and care about you anyways? If you can't accept Harry then I'll obliviate you myself and you can get out because you'd be a different man than the man I love. Lilly and James  _trusted_  us with him, Remus! How could you even consider forsaking him for so little cause?"

Remus was crying now – Lucius could tell even though the man's face was fully covered again. Remus's voice was muffled and wet as he begged, "Sirius, please don't."

Sirius's anger abated somewhat and Lucius could see his pain now. It was significant. Lucius knew that there was no way either of them could live without the other but Sirius was loyal to his core. He was currently being torn apart by two unbearable courses of action – the choice of forsaking his mate or forsaking his charge… and Harry had done nothing wrong, of course, so Remus had made Sirius's choice for him.

Lucius decided it was time to intervene and he interjected quietly, "I think this has gotten too far out of hand. Harry would not want either of you to fight over him."

Sirius and Remus both startled, proving that they had indeed forgotten about Lucius. Lucius continued on as if he hadn't noticed, "Remus, it does not surprise me that your instincts would tell you to be afraid of what Harry is, but Harry himself is who you know him to be. He would never intentionally hurt anyone he cares about… and he does care  _very_  much, Remus."

Sirius questioned, "What  _is_  he, Lucius?"

Lucius could see that Sirius was in the proper state of mind now to hear it, so he replied simply, "Harry is a Void."

Sirius's jaw dropped and Remus went rigid then slowly took his hands away from his face.

Remus breathed, " _No_ … he can't be, I  _tested_  him. He was able to perform the Patronus Charm. He didn't just conjure a tiny bit of light either. It was the most brilliant corporeal Patronus I've  _ever_  seen."

Sirius turned on Remus, spitting out fiercely, "You  _suspected_  this?! You  _tested_  him?!"

Remus flinched visibly and wouldn't meet Sirius's eyes. Lucius hastily interrupted once more, "Remus, you are a smart man. Harry's ability to cast the Patronus Charm is a testament to his true character. If a Void shouldn't be able to cast the charm, but he  _is_  a Void and he  _can_  cast it, then the only logical conclusion is that the legends are wrong."

Remus's expression went slack with relief, "Oh thank god."

Sirius glared at his mate, still pissed off, "If you'd just  _talked_  to me about it,  _I_  could have told you that. Try to have a  _little_  faith in people, would you? Those legends are a thousand years old -  _of_   _course_  they'd be wrong."

Sirius looked at Lucius and demanded, "How did  _you_  know this?"

"Harry told me," Lucius replied.

A flash of fresh pain flickered in Sirius's black eyes. He attempted to hide it but Sirius was a man who wore his heart on his sleeve. Lucius took a seat once more, allowing himself to relax somewhat. He took pity on Sirius and explained gently, "Harry can read minds and he knew I would accept him no matter what, because he knows we are meant to be mates and I need him. He was concerned that your bond with him would not be strong enough to sustain such a revelation, because he believes that you only care about him because of Lilly and James."

Sirius shook his head and denied it immediately, "No, that's not it at all!"

"I suggest you tell him that," Lucius replied. "Harry didn't believe  _anyone_  cares for him solely because he is who he is."

Sirius looked contemplative and he took a seat once more, murmuring, "Even if what he believed was true, about us caring for him just because of Lilly and James… why wouldn't he think that was a strong enough bond?"

Lucius took a moment to consider how to phrase his answer properly then he said, "From what I understand… Voids do not actually die when their bodies do and they do not become ghosts either - it seems to be a separate phenomenon unique to their kind. I do not fully understand how it is possible but when a Void's body dies, their soul will seek out a new body and start over anew. Harry does not seem to have a strong connection with his past lives, only vague memories."

"Oh," Sirius whispered subduedly, "Did he…  _kill_  the original Harry or…?"

"No, it seems he needs a shell that is already empty. Lilly's baby died in her womb - Harry merely stepped in and fixed the body before anyone noticed."

Remus spoke finally, his voice slightly hoarse, "Does Harry think we would see him as an imposter? Even though he's the Harry we always knew?"

Sirius cast Remus a rather malcontent look, "Seems that his fears weren't  _entirely_  unjustified."

Remus looked guilty again, "Sirius, I  _didn't_  know the truth."

"No, you just suspected the worst of him," Sirius replied severely.

Remus glared at him now, "You would have too if you felt what I feel around him."

Lucius intervened before the couple's conversation could dissolve into a full-blown argument again, "Harry naturally absorbs ambient magic. He needs it to survive. It is to be expected that your wolf would react negatively to that because the animal would not understand."

Remus's expression fell and he was silent once more. Sirius questioned, "Do you think that could be part of the reason why he was so malnourished when he first came here? Because he needs to be around magic to survive and he'd been living amongst muggles for so long?"

Lucius nodded, "Yes. Dumbledore placed him with that family in order to keep him weak and to control him. While we're on that topic, I need your help protecting Harry from Dumbledore."

Sirius rolled his eyes and muttered darkly, "Of  _course_  that old fart knows…"

Sirius paused and Lucius saw the moment Sirius reached the inevitable conclusion. Sirius leapt to his feet once more and snarled, " _That's_  why he let me go to Azkaban?! So he could  _hurt_  my godson? I'm going to fucking  _kill_  that conniving piece of shit!"

Sirius looked almost deranged with rage but Remus just looked ill, like he might actually throw up. Remus stammered weakly, "H-He couldn't have  _possibly_ …"

"He did and he would do it again if necessary," Lucius said firmly. "He will do anything to maintain control of Harry and he will treat the two of you like the obstacles that you are."

Sirius gritted his teeth, "There's no way in hell I'm going to let him take Harry from me. Kreacher! Where the fuck are you hiding?! Go get Harry  _now_ and don't you  _dare_  give me any lip about it because I'm in a  _hell_  of a mood!"

"I'm right here, Sirius."

All three adult men startled. Harry was standing in the doorway, looking small and uncertain, "I apologize for eavesdropping."

Lucius stood and went to him, touching his arm gently. He was worried about Harry. Sirius and Remus had both said things that Lucius would have preferred for Harry not to have heard but there was no helping it now. He just hoped Harry was okay.

Harry looked up at him an gave him a weak smile. Lucius guided him over to the armchair beside his and Harry sank into his chair with a soft sigh.

"Harry, I'm so sorry," Remus managed, "I…"

He trailed off, seemingly at a loss for words. He seemed upset, as Lucius thought he should be. Sirius quickly said, "Don't mind him, Harry, he was just being an idiot. We're here for you 100%, okay? I won't let you down, do you understand?"

Harry smiled hesitantly, "I understand, Sirius."

Lucius could tell Harry was still uncertain and he wished he could have gotten away with hexing Remus. The man's idiocy had obviously hurt Harry's feelings.

Harry looked at Remus again and spoke to him quietly, "I know you hate the wolf, Remus, but he's not so bad."

Remus's expression was pained, "Harry… I…"

"I don't blame you," Harry said kindly. "Sometimes I worry I might be a monster too."

Sirius quickly protested, "Hang on right there!  _Neither_  of you are monsters, damn it!"

Remus and Harry shared a look of understanding. Remus seemed surprised to realize that Harry empathized with him, but also, Lucius thought Remus was finally coming around in a meaningful way. Harry continued quietly, "I can kill the wolf in you but I don't want to. It's separate from you, but it's not unlike you, Remus."

A tense silence fell. Even Lucius was surprised by this revelation. Remus whispered, "You can kill  _just_  the wolf? You can make me fully human?"

"It would make me very sad to do it… and I'm not sure what sort of  _consequences_  might come of it, but I thought you should know that I could," Harry replied, seeming somewhat depressed just by the idea of it. "It would be a shame though. You hate the wolf so much, but I think you would hate it less if you realized how often it thinks of  _your_  needs and how often it tries to protect you. It doesn't really think of  _itself_ , it always thinks of you."

Remus was clearly taken aback, "It - what? It doesn't  _think or feel,_  Harry."

"It does," Harry replied with perfect certainty. "It's trying to tell you right now that I'm absorbing your excess magic and that I'm a threat to you. It's worried that you don't understand. That's why you feel so agitated. It's frantic to communicate with you."

Harry was silent for a long moment but then Remus startled badly and demanded anxiously, "What did you just do?"

"I syphoned enough power from the wolf to put it to sleep. If I do that frequently, I can keep you from transforming ever again without actually killing the wolf."

Lucius thought it was very interesting that Remus panicked when he could no longer feel the wolf inside him. It was possible that the man was much more attached to his inner animal than he realized.

Harry finally looked away from Remus, turning his gaze on Sirius instead, "I don't want  _either_  of you to suffer any more because of me. Dumbledore is dangerous and he's  _already_  caused both of you a great deal of suffering. I appreciate your loyalty but-"

Sirius shook his head and cut him off, "Harry, I'm your guardian now. I appreciate your concerns but don't tell me how to do my job. If Dumbledore is a threat to you, he's a threat to all of us and we're all going to deal with him together."

Tears welled in Harry's eyes and he gave them a tiny, wavering smile, "Okay."

Lucius hated to see Harry cry for any reason - it tore him up inside. Sirius and Remus both seemed profoundly affected as well but Lucius didn't notice until Harry was yanked up from the chair and swept into a group hug. Lucius watched Harry's expression relax into contentment and relief.

Lucius smiled at the picture they made, trying to quell his own petty jealousy. Truth be told, he was relieved too. Despite his assurances to Harry and the precautions he had taken, there had always been a small chance of failure. The last thing he ever wanted to do was fail Harry.

Harry's bright green eyes met Lucius's gaze then. Harry smiled at him gratefully, mouthing two words silently.

_Thank you._


	15. Chapter 15

**< > THIRD YEAR <>**

12 GRIMMAULD PLACE

"The Monster has guests waiting outside."

" _Thank you_ , Kreacher," Harry replied with exaggerated politeness, deliberately passing close to the unpleasant house elf on his way to the front door.

Kreacher shrieked in horror, like nails on a chalk board, and plastered himself against the wall before he managed to pop away.

"Kreacher, do you want to join your brethren on that godforsaken wall?" Sirius shouted from several rooms away. "If you don't shut up, so help me, I'll chop off your head and hang it up  _right now!"_

Harry couldn't hear what the house elf grumbled in reply but there were several loud banging and crashing noises and then Sirius shouted, "Remus, don't you dare protect that miserable creature! Let me at him! I'm sick of him acting like a little shit to Harry! I've had it up to  _here_ -"

Harry called out loudly, "The Malfoys are here and I'm about to open the door for them!"

An artificial sort of silence fell immediately. Harry was almost certain that Remus had cast a silencing charm.

Harry looked back in their direction and based on what he could tell from their auras, he thought it was possible that Sirius was actually strangling Kreacher right now and Remus was trying to pry him off. Harry grinned and shook his head. Remus wouldn't let Sirius actually  _kill_  the house elf.

Sirius was just in a foul mood because he was dreading the arrival of the entire Malfoy family. Sirius knew he had to invite the Malfoys over occasionally but that didn't mean he was happy about it. Especially since he'd had to see Lucius last night.

Harry had made a point of mentioning that he was excited to see 'his good friend' Draco. Sirius had looked a little ill but had stopped complaining openly and he'd resolved to try to be friendly. Harry wasn't sure how well the man would be able to manage but he appreciated that Sirius was willing to make the effort.

Harry opened the front door and found Draco, Lucius, Narcissa, and an unfamiliar woman standing on the other side, dressed in their finest robes. Harry bowed low and said, "My apologies for keeping you all waiting. Please come inside."

Narcissa cooed, "Oh darling, do introduce us!"

Harry thought it was strange to insist upon formal introductions considering Lucius had already told his family Harry's darkest secret. Maybe the plans had changed? Had Lucius needed to obliviate them? Harry wasn't picking up on any hint of fear or reservation. Nothing in their thoughts was particularly enlightening either, but that didn't mean there _wasn't_ anything negative to be found. There were enough people here now that he wasn't able to understand every single thought. He might be unable to hear the answers he was listening for.

Draco blushed a little, "Ah, Mother and Mistress Arris, this is Harry Potter. Harry, this is my mother, Narcissa Malfoy, and um, Mistress Marcella Arris."

Narcissa narrowed her pale eyes and hissed under her breath, "Ah? Um? Draco, do  _not_  embarrass us!"

Harry used his magic to take everyone's coats and hang them up. He pretended not to have heard Narcissa and he replied politely, "I am so pleased to finally meet you, Lady Malfoy and Mistress Arris."

Narcissa's irked expression was long gone and she smiled at him beatifically, "Oh, the pleasure is mine, Harry."

Marcella Arris was not what Harry had been expecting. Her skin was a deeply tanned hue and her eyes and hair were the color of red wine. She wore a dress but Harry could tell she didn't wear dresses often. Her smooth skin was littered with hundreds of scars. Her features were too sharp and intimidating to be considered beautiful but she was  _striking_. Harry noted that she wore a great deal of gold but perhaps that was to be expected, considering her profession. He picked up quickly that she worked with dragons. All of the gold she wore was likely to have once been part of a dragon's hoard.

" _ **Narcissa tells me you are a Speaker,"**_ Marcella hissed in a rich alto voice.

Draco's expression became petulant and Harry gathered from his thoughts that this one of the many reasons that Draco couldn't stand Marcella. Harry inclined his head and replied,  _ **"I am excited to meet another like me. I would be interested to hear more about your profession. I've never attempted to talk to a dragon before. I am curious how you modify Parseltongue for that purpose."**_

Marcella didn't react to his knowledge of her profession. He'd been hoping to glean whether or not she knew he could read minds but she seemed to assume that Draco or Lucius had told him. She smiled at him and winked,  _ **"It is easier than you might think."**_

Harry recognized the shift in her language. It was rougher and louder now, a little more like a growl and a little less like a hiss. It made his hair stand on end and he'd also understood it immediately. He grinned at her then looked at Draco, who he sensed was becoming increasingly upset, "I've been meaning to try to teach you a few words, Draco. Maybe the three of us can work on that later today."

"Oh what an absolutely lovely idea, Harry!" Narcissa exclaimed. She was clearly thrilled by the thought of Draco bonding with Marcella over Parseltongue, or anything really. She was not unaware that her son disliked Marcella.

Sirius and Remus finally appeared - notably  _without_  Kreacher - and introductions were made again, even though Sirius already knew Narcissa. Harry finally met Lucius's gaze. He'd been aware of the man immediately but Lucius had not spoken yet. Harry stepped closer, while everyone else was distracted, and murmured, "I don't understand, why haven't you told them yet?"

Lucius's silvery grey eyes were uncharacteristically warm, "I did, Harry. I told them yesterday after I told Sirius and Remus. I shared the memory with them in our family pensive. It is our preferred method of sharing secrets and other sensitive information. It can be extremely personal but it is also expeditious and there is minimal risk of misunderstanding."

Harry was dumbfounded and he didn't know what to say. Lucius caught Harry's hand and squeezed gently. These intentional touches meant a great deal to Harry, now that Lucius was fully aware of how it affected him. It was an affirmation that Lucius was not afraid of him and that he trusted him. There was also something possessive about it, as if Lucius  _wanted_  to be the one to give Harry what he needed. As soon as Harry thought it, he realized it was true. Harry whispered, "I didn't tell you Lucius, but when a person touches me… their voice is nearly all I can hear."

Lucius's grip tightened, confirming Harry's theory about him. Harry smiled at him.

"Lucius, dear?" Narcissa called. "Are you coming?"

Harry turned and realized everyone was looking at Lucius and him now. Lucius reluctantly released his hand. Remus and Sirius shared a look. Narcissa and Marcella shared an identical look. Draco smirked at Harry knowingly. Harry sighed then strode forward past all of them, heading towards the dining room, "Let's all try to remember our respective ages, please."

"I remember that  _you're_  about a thousand years old," Draco put in. "Which makes  _you_  the cradle robber-  _ouch_ , mother!"

Narcissa had smacked her son outside his head, faster than a viper. Draco shut up and hurried to catch up with Harry.

Sirius snorted and muttered under his breath, "You know, that kid has a point."

Harry tried his best to ignore them all. Draco looped his arm through the crook of Harry's and thought very loudly -  _CAN YOU HEAR ME RIGHT NOW?!_

Harry winced a little and replied quickly, "There's no need to scream at me."

Draco grinned, with absolute delight, "Oh this is amazing! We're going to have so much fun in school now. I can't tell you how excited I am - but, well, you  _know_  don't you?"

"It is  _impossible_  to ignore," Harry replied with dry humor, marveling at how readily Draco had accepted him. Draco wasn't afraid of him at all.  _None_  of them were.

"Sorry, too much?" Draco questioned sheepishly, letting go of Harry's arm. He considered Harry to be his best friend but he didn't know exactly what Harry thought about him. He worried that since Harry was actually much older he might find Draco annoying. That was the very last thing Draco wanted. He admired Harry and he wanted to learn Parseltongue from him and hear more about what it was like to be a Void and to be able to share inside jokes with him at school.

Harry placed his hand on Draco's shoulder and even though Draco had willingly grabbed his arm before, Harry was still surprised that Draco didn't seem bothered by his touch at all. Draco met his gaze, looking a little hesitant. He was wondering anxiously how much Harry was learning from his thoughts. He hastily tried to push aside his 'silly' worries.

"Draco, I like you and I  _do_  think of you as a friend," Harry said sincerely. "Don't worry about that."

Draco grinned at him and tried to play it off like it was no big deal and he hadn't been worried - but Harry knew how much his words meant to Draco.

The dinning room was decked out in Christmas decorations. Sirius had spent an entire week decorating all of the newly restored rooms in the house. He'd gone overboard but neither Harry nor Remus had been able to reel him in. Of course, Harry and Remus hadn't tried particularly hard either. They'd both been reluctant to crush Sirius's high spirits. After all, this was the man's first Christmas since Azkaban.

The dining room table was piled high with steaming breakfast foods. Kreacher had outdid himself really. The house elf was still good for some things and he had been rather excited when he had learned the Malfoys were going to be visiting - a 'proper' family, he'd called them. Harry had never felt anything so close to happiness from the perpetually grumpy house elf.

Lucius drew out Narcissa and Marcella's chairs for them. Draco chose a seat beside Harry and Lucius sat on Harry's other side. Sirius and Remus sat at opposite ends of the table, with Sirius by Lucius and Remus by Narcissa and Draco.

Remus and Sirius were still somewhat at odds after their fight yesterday but they were currently giving each other space whenever they were able and they had resolved to enjoy today.

Harry didn't feel like he needed to try to fix things between them. He could tell that they wouldn't be able to stay as they were for long. They both loved each other far to much not to reconcile quickly.

Sirius was just waiting for a proper apology from Remus and Remus fully intended to apologize to him again tonight, after Harry went to bed.

Remus hadn't been allowed to sleep in Sirius's bed last night and he wouldn't have slept much anyways. The revelations of yesterday had broken the man down but it was possible that it might yet turn out for the best. Remus ended yesterday thinking of Harry in an entirely different way and that was causing him to think of himself in an entirely different way too. Harry's words about Remus's inner wolf had stuck in his mind.

Sirius, on the other hand... most of _his_ thoughts weren't about Remus or Harry. No, his thoughts were much more worrisome. His hatred for Albus Dumbledore was festering in his soul and Harry could tell that Sirius was dangerous in his own right. He had resolved that he would never let Albus hurt Harry ever again. Some of the plans he was considering were  _very_   _dark_.

Narcissa said, "It has been many years since we've spent Christmas Day with another family. I have to say, I am quite delighted by the change of pace. I hope this will set a standard for the relationship between our families in the future."

She winked at Harry and Harry blinked at her, knowing exactly what she was getting at - an eventual merging of their two families into one. She already saw Harry as part of the family and she considered Remus and Sirius to be sort of like his parents, so they were also family by extension.

"Narcissa," Lucius murmured reprovingly. "Let's not make plans just yet."

She waved her hand at him unconcernedly, "Oh hush, dear, it is basically set in stone already. No point in pretending otherwise."

She looked at Remus and then at Sirius, "I am looking forward to getting to know you all better. Even you, Cousin. It has been a long time and you are practically a stranger to me now."

A faint half smile played across Sirius's lips, "I don't remember you ever liking me overly much. I was always the black sheep of our family."

"Yes, well, that's in the past. I only pretended to dislike you because everyone else in our family did. You always seemed like fun though. You never conformed to  _anyone's_  expectations. Truth be told, you could be counted on to liven up any family gathering."

Sirius smirked fully now as he reminisced about the good old times, "I never knew you appreciated me, 'Cissa."

She turned her gaze towards the other end of the table, "And you, Remus, Draco speaks highly of you and seems to enjoy your classes very much. I am glad Hogwarts finally has a competent DADA Professor."

_Mother is good at this sort of thing._

Harry was inclined to agree with Draco. Narcissa single-handedly carried the conversation for the rest of breakfast. It was as if she were playing hostess, even though she was the guest. She'd picked up on the fact that Remus and Sirius were out of sorts and she'd taken it upon herself to keep the party going, so to speak. She was incredibly charming.

Lucius leaned closer to Harry and spoke softly to him, "You have been quiet, Harry. I thought you would be happier. Is everything alright? Did something happen after I left yesterday, perhaps?"

Harry turned his head and met his gaze, "Marcella isn't talking much either."

Lucius glanced at the woman and smiled slightly before placing his hand over Harry's and thinking -  _She's taking the measure of Remus, Sirius and you. It is not that she is shy, by any stretch of the imagination, she merely takes a while to warm up to other people… She seems to have taken an immediate liking to you. That is rare for her._

"I'm honored," Harry replied simply, to confirm to Lucius that he understood the thoughts Lucius was attempting to convey. The Malfoys seemed to enjoy talking with Harry in this way. They had an appreciation for covert communication.

Harry answered Lucius's original question, "I'm not unhappy, Lucius, I'm actually  _very_  happy. I never expected so many people to accept me but they have. It is a lot for me take in. Nothing like this has ever happened for me, as far as I can remember. It's truly incredible what you've done for me. I wish you could read my mind, so you'd know how deeply I appreciate you."

Lucius smiled at him, his fingers stroking Harry's open palm and vulnerable wrist in an unconscious motion. The teasing touch made Harry's skin prickle with a charge of sensation that thrilled him. When Lucius realized what he was doing, he quickly took his hand back, berating himself mentally.

Harry hid a smile.

After breakfast they moved into the main living room, where Sirius had placed a fourteen-foot Christmas tree. There hadn't been anything under the tree yesterday but now there were hundreds of brightly wrapped presents.

"Most of them are for you, Harry," Remus said quietly.

Harry turned and looked up at the werewolf. Remus offered him a hesitant smile, "Sirius and I figured we had a lot to make up for… all those years we missed Christmas with you."

Harry was touched, "Oh… Remus, thank you but you really didn't have to. I'm happy just to be living with you both now."

_I should have believed in him from the start. I've made such a terrible mess of things. How will he ever forgive me?_

"Remus, I am  _not_  upset with you," Harry insisted immediately.

Remus startled - he'd forgotten again that Harry could hear him. He rubbed his arm sheepishly, "I don't want to ruin today by talking about all that… I promised Sirius I wouldn't."

"You didn't have to say anything," Harry replied. "Just listen to me. I don't think there's any point in you worrying about me when there's nothing to worry about. I didn't expect anyone to accept me at all. So, I don't care that you reacted negatively at first - all that matters is you're trying to accept me  _now_. I'm grateful, Remus, and I'm happy."

"Harry!" Sirius called. "Get over here and start opening some of your presents before I start opening them for you."

The Malfoys were enlarging the shrunken presents they had brought with them. Sirius was bouncing on his feet by the tree, looking about ready to burst with excitement. His dark eyes were shining brightly with glee.

Harry looked back at Remus, reluctant to end their conversation without properly reassuring the man. Remus shook his head and placed his hand on Harry's back, gently pushing him forward and saying, "Go on, you'd better hurry or he'll actually do it."

Harry sensed from that touch that his words actually _had_ made Remus feel better. He grinned and jogged over to his godfather's side without any further prompting. The sudden spurt of speed only seemed to increase Sirius's excitement. He shoved a large present into Harry's hands, "Open this one first! No- No, wait,  _this_  one first!"

Sirius plucked the present out of Harry's hands and replaced it with a smaller one that was so unexpectedly heavy that Harry almost fell over. Harry laughed and sat down cross-legged on the floor, tearing into the package with a vigor that pleased Sirius.

He opened the small wooden chest inside and grinned up at Sirius, "My own Quidditch ball set? This is amazing! Thank you!"

"So we can play when you're home from school!" Sirius replied enthusiastically, then shoved another present at Harry. "This one next!"

"Hang on," Harry laughed. "Someone else should open one. It's not my birthday - it's not all about me. Draco? Your turn."

Harry summoned one particular gift with wandless magic, catching it daftly before it could hit him in the face.

Draco smiled at him and looked at the Slytherin green wrapping, "From you?"

"Of course."

Draco opened his present from Harry and then looked at him with wide eyes, "How'd you-? Oh you cheater, you read my mind."

Harry shrugged and smiled at him. It wasn't anything too expensive, just a somewhat difficult to find book about obscure uses for common potions ingredients.

Draco gave Harry a hug and whispered, "I was thinking about this  _months_  ago. Thank you for remembering."

Harry caught Lucius's gaze over Draco's shoulder. The man was smiling at them… and so were Narcissa and Marcella. There was enough overlap in their thoughts for Harry to understand that they were grateful that Draco and Harry were becoming such good friends. Draco didn't have any friends he was truly close to, other than Harry.

Eventually they had to stop opening presents in order to have lunch. Half of the monstrous pile was still unopened and there was gift wrap everywhere. Kreacher grudgingly set about picking it all up, muttering under his breath the entire time.

After lunch, they opened the rest of the presents and then Marcella and Harry taught Draco a few Parseltongue words. It was amusing to Harry, listening to Draco attempt to mimic the sounds. He ended up accidentally spitting several times over, but he was doing much better than expected for a non-speaker. It was probably because of all the time he had spent trying to mimic the sounds in private. Draco didn't admit that though and Harry would never intentionally embarrass Draco.

Draco was really good at saying 'hello' now and they were slowly working on 'please don't bite me'. Harry was impressed and Marcella seemed impressed as well. She said, "You are doing  _exceedingly_   _well_ , Draco. I did not think it was possible for non-speakers to mimic the sounds of Parseltongue so convincingly. With enough practice you might even be able to hold your own in conversations. You should be very proud indeed!"

Draco smiled at her and Harry chose that moment to quietly slip away, leaving them to bond. Narcissa was watching with an elated smile and she cast Harry a grateful look. As he passed her she caught his hand to stop him and leaned close to whisper, "Thank you, sweetheart. I was beginning to think Draco might never come around… I am hoping I can convince Draco and Lucius to visit Marcella and I in Romania this summer. I would love it if you came along. I think you would like the dragons very much."

"Thank you for the invitation. I'll have to talk to Sirius and Remus but I hope I'll be able to accept," Harry replied sincerely.

"Oh they're welcome too, of course!" Narcissa added, then paused and whispered mischievously, "Or perhaps they might appreciate a couple weeks of  _alone time._ "

Harry smiled, thinking that she was probably right. She released him and he continued across the room to Lucius, who was standing by the fireplace, talking with Sirius and Remus. They weren't fighting but their conversation was grim. They were discussing Voldemort.

Lucius was saying quietly, "As far as I know, he's never left the country. I get messages from him, from time to time, and I assume that he is in contact with other members of his inner circle as well. I don't think he has a body again yet, but I can't be sure. You must understand, it is mostly directives that he sends. I can only speculate about his current status and his future plans. He considers himself my master not his friend. Usually it's that he needs me to transfer funds or dark artifacts… Sometimes it's stranger requests that are more difficult to interpret, like delivering that Horcrux to Hogwarts to reopen the Chamber of Secrets."

Sirius frowned severely, "What was even the point of that?"

"Based on what happened at the end of the year, I think it was less about the Chamber of Secrets and more about gaining a new physical form. He could have done that anywhere, but he does have a certain flare for drama and he is  _not_  sane. I suspect he also wanted to be close to his mortal enemies. He became fixated on killing Harry as soon as he heard that prophecy. I can only imagine how much more obsessed he is with Harry now."

"Is Hogwarts even safe?" Sirius demanded.

"Nowhere is safe," Harry replied. All three of the men startled, exactly as they had yesterday. Harry hadn't even been trying to be sneaky this time. He'd been standing right behind and just to the left of Lucius, in plain view.

Sirius forced a smile, "Sorry, Harry, I didn't see you come over. We really shouldn't be talking about such things on Christmas Day."

"I'm still having a wonderful day, Sirius," Harry assured his godfather then looked back at Lucius, trying to think of the best way to ask to speak with him alone - _without_ upsetting Sirius.

Sirius relaxed a little. Remus glanced between Lucius and Harry then he caught Sirius's arm and murmured quietly, "Let's go talk to Narcissa."

"What? But-"

Remus dragged Sirius away mid-syllable, whispering to him that he thought Narcissa looked lonely. Harry would have to remember to thank Remus later.

Lucius watched the pair go with a rather bemused expression, then he looked at Harry and his expression softened. Harry asked, "Will you come into the hall with me? I just want to talk to you privately for a few minutes."

Lucius nodded once and followed Harry out of the room. Harry walked out of the room and down the hallway, all the way to the front entrance hall. He knew Remus's hearing was significantly better than human hearing and he didn't want to be overheard.

Lucius followed him all the way to the front door without question, understanding what Harry was doing without having to ask. He stopped when Harry stopped and he waited. Harry drew in a breath and said, "Remus and Sirius may occasionally be inclined not to tell me things, in a misguided attempt to protect me. I need to be able to trust that  _you_  won't do that."

Lucius reached out to Harry and took one of Harry's hands in both of his own, enveloping Harry's hand entirely. Lucius's hands were long and graceful and much larger than Harry's.

_I will never keep important information from you. Regardless of Sirius or Remus's wishes. My first loyalty is to you, Harry, not them._

Harry relaxed and he smiled at Lucius, nodding to show he understood.

_The journal I gave you today, I have an identical one. I've been working on crafting them for some time. They are meant for private communication. After the book first tastes your blood, it will be useable by no other. Only you will be able to read any messages I send, even if you read them in plain sight of others._

Harry raised both brows, impressed, and he murmured quietly, "I suppose Tom Riddle's Diary was your inspiration?"

_I needed a safer way to communicate with you. It will only become more difficult in the years to come. I considered giving you a ring like Draco's or Narcissa's but that method is not ideal for frequent or lengthy communication. There are reasons that ring is intended for emergencies only._

Harry nodded again then stepped forward suddenly. Lucius dropped his hands in surprise then went rigid when Harry wrapped his arms around his waist and hugged him tightly. Lucius's arms came up automatically and he held Harry hesitantly, his thoughts scattered, disbelieving, and more than a little conflicted.

After a few seconds Lucius gradually relaxed and allowed himself to enjoy the embrace for what it was, without trying to attach a greater meaning to it. It was understood between them that this might be the last touch they shared until they met again. Neither of them spoke because they'd agreed not to speak of their future together. They allowed themselves five short minutes of this guilty pleasure before returning to their family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the wait everyone. This chapter will be the last that I write about Christmas break. It was mostly sweetness and family bonding. I wanted to establish that Harry is no longer alone and that he has a strong support system, for the first time ever. That will be important from here on out. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and Albus Dumbledore is still a threat that needs to be dealt with.
> 
> I promise that bit about the pensive isn't a cop out and no one missed out on any juicy Malfoy family drama. Remember how Draco shared his memory of the Chamber of Secrets with Lucius in Year 2? This is a thing the Malfoys do in this story.
> 
> I always thought of the pensive as an underutilized but highly efficient means of communicating experiences. If you can show other people exactly what happened, then you don't have to try to explain it to them in words. No details are left out and it results in a much deeper level of understanding. It's obviously very personal so I thought it made sense for it to only be used frequently in this way within a tight-knit family group where there is already an extremely high level of existing trust.


	16. Chapter 16

**< > THIRD YEAR <>**

HEADMASTER'S OFFICE, HOGWARTS

Albus reluctantly opened the ominous red letter that had been dropped on his desk.

The Howler wrenched itself out of his hands and snarled, "Salutations to my  _favorite_  megalomaniac. It's your old friend Sirius Black. The innocent man you sent to Azkaban so you could abuse Harry Potter."

Albus threw a blasting curse at the letter. It sprung out of the way and started shouting its message even louder as it raced in circles about his office, knocking over delicate instruments in its wake.

"Since you're too much of a coward to face me in person, I'll have to make due with Howlers instead! This is the first of nine thousand three hundred and thirty-seven."

Albus would have to ward against them. What a troublesome waste of his valuable time.

He finally managed to destroy the letter and sank back in his chair, sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose. Something bright red darted into his line of sight and Albus looked up, frowning. It wasn't the same Howler - this one hadn't been opened yet.

To his great surprise, the letter  _opened itself_ and immediately started shrieking, "IT'S YOUR OLD FRIEND SIRIUS BLACK!"

Albus tried to ignore it as he hastened to adjust the wards.

"-of nine thousand three hundred and thirty-seven!  _All_  of which are  _already_  inside of Hogwarts, so don't bother adjusting your stupid wards!"

Albus gritted his teeth and cast the Howler an incredulous look. The letter seemed to smirk at him and it continued, in a slightly lower tone but with markedly increased venom, "You are going to  _listen_  to me this time, Albus Dumbledore. Harry has told me  _everything_  and I want you to know, I don't care what he is. There is no way in hell I am  _ever_  giving him up and you'll take him from me  _over my dead body."_

Albus was shocked by the words but then he realized, he shouldn't have expected rationality from a lunatic. If Harry had actually told Sirius everything and Sirius was still determined to keep him, then Azkaban had surely broken Sirius's mind. Albus destroyed the Howler and the six that followed it.

He could have Sirius declared an unfit guardian if he could prove that the man was not of sound mind. It would not be particularly difficult.

Soon there were more Howlers than Albus could easily destroy. They were crawling in under the door and through the windows and spilling down from crevices in the ceiling. Shortly, a cacophony of voices were screaming their message at him. They paused and then synchronized their words, "YOU'LL TAKE HIM FROM ME OVER MY DEAD BODY! I INVITE YOU TO TRY! I WILL WELCOME THE EXCUSE TO KILL YOU!"

The letters were crawling up his body, tearing at his clothes and biting his skin. Albus hastily beat them off, horrified by the vicious charm work they had been created with. The letters hissed, "I can almost hear what you must be thinking. You won't get the better of me this time, Albus Dumbledore. I have had myself formally declared sane by seven different medical specialists and I have rewritten my will. There is a list of two dozen individuals in line to take over guardianship of Harry if anything  _unexpected_  should happen to me. I have also specified that, under no circumstances, will you  _ever_  be his legal guardian."

That was certainly not the Sirius that Albus knew. He'd never known the man to be so calculating. Sirius was intelligent, certainly, but he had always lacked foresight.

The folded red letters were leaving bites that broke skin and Albus was actually bleeding. The tiny wounds stung sharply, just like paper cuts. Albus angrily cleared a swath of the letters but he accidentally destroyed some of the important papers on his desk too.

The letters were  _still_  piling in too. They covered the floor and every surface. It was more than Albus could do, just to keep them off of him.

The Howlers laughed demonically and they were so loud now that the noise hurt Albus's ears.

There was a brief, merciful moment of silence then the letters crooned in an eerie sing-song tone, "Oh, you're going to regret fucking with me, Albus, I'm going to make sure of it."

One of the Howlers dropped onto his head and tangled in his long white hair. It whispered harshly by his ear, "I'm sick of you acting like I'm insane to further your twisted agenda. I'm  _literally_  going to drive you mad and I'm not going to stop until everyone knows it."

That particular letter tried to take off his ear.

The Howlers didn't rip themselves up after delivering their message and the enchantment didn't end. Albus spent the better part of the next three hours finding and destroying each and every one of the vicious Howlers.

They seemed to have a certain degree of intelligence, if their complex evasive maneuvers and strategy were any indication. They would hide and wait then strike whenever he started to relax, either by biting him or verbally assaulting him. After a while it wasn't even the original message anymore, just increasingly creative insults and furious ranting.

Albus struggled at first to maintain his composure, then he gave up. He was soon red-faced and panting. He felt like he might be in danger of an impending heart attack but he couldn't manage to calm down. He was waging war in his own office! Each individual letter on its own was easy enough to deal with but in great numbers they became an insurmountable force - and there were  _thousands_.

Nine thousand three hundred and thirty-seven, to be exact.

Harry had taken a huge gamble when he had told Sirius Black everything over Christmas break. Albus had not expected the boy to ever attempt to tell  _anyone_  his secret. Harry knew as well as Albus did what a monster he was. No one in their right mind should have ever been able to accept Harry, but Sirius was clearly not in his right mind, irregardless of whatever those 'medical specialists' said.

Sirius came from a very dark and evil family, so it was possible that he sought to use Harry for his own advantage.

Undoubtedly the man was prepared to remove Harry from Hogwarts if he believed it necessary. Albus had to deal with Sirius very carefully or he risked losing Harry all-together.

Perhaps he could get at Sirius through Remus Lupin? Remus and Sirius had always been close in the past. Albus suspected that they were in some sort of romantic relationship.

Several Howlers suddenly sprung up over the far side of Albus's desk, launching yet another surprise attack. One bit his finger before Albus could destroy them all.

Needless to say, Albus was in a rather miserable state. He took a few minutes to heal his injuries and set his clothes to right. He was feeling exhausted and it wasn't even noon yet.

If he revealed that Remus was a werewolf, then the man would not be able to continue teaching at Hogwarts. Sirius would no longer have a direct link to Harry while Harry was at school. However, that might just be the push Sirius needed to remove Harry from Hogwarts.

Albus noted the time, ensuring it was lunch hour. He called a house elf and instructed the subservient little creature to summon Remus Lupin. The werewolf knocked on his door several minutes later.

Albus called out, "Come in, Remus."

Remus stepped through the door. He looked to be in much better health than usual - better than Albus could remember ever seeing him. For once, there weren't dark shadows under his eyes and the man seemed… rather happy, actually.

Albus gestured to one of the chairs positioned across from his desk, "Please take a seat, Remus. Would you like tea or perhaps some lemon drops?"

"No, thank you, Albus," Remus replied politely. "I just ate."

Albus smothered his irritation. It seemed as if no one ever accepted tea or candy from him. It was not as if they could  _all_  know he laced the tea and candy with potions, yet nearly  _everyone_  refused both. It made things much more difficult for him when he had to rely on Legilimency alone. To make matters worse, powerful adults like Remus were often skilled in Occlumency. Albus tried to probe the man and encountered formidable resistance, as expected.

He sighed and steepled his fingers, "I assume you must know why I've asked to speak with you, Remus. I am very concerned about Harry."

Remus frowned slightly and echoed faintly, "Concerned about Harry?"

"Yes. Surely you must have noticed that Sirius's mental state is not stable. I approached him as a friend and expressed my concern but he responded with thousands of Howlers, of all things. I've been dealing with them all morning and I haven't gotten  _anything_  done."

Remus's lips twitched ever so slightly but his expression did not change otherwise. He seemed gravely serious as he replied, " _Thousands_ , you say? My god…"

Albus was relieved by Remus's reaction, "Yes! Quite mad, wouldn't you say? Understandably so, after his unfortunate stint in Azkaban. However, he can't take care of himself right now, much less be expected to take care of a child. It may be difficult, but we must see that he gets the care that he needs and that Harry is placed with a suitable guardian."

Another Howler dropped onto Albus's head. It started ripping out his hair as it shrieked, "LYING, DECEIVING SON OF A WHORE!"

Albus hastily got rid of it and attempted to maintain a calm and composed facade. He felt his skin starting to heat and he took a steading breath. By way of explanation, he said, "I am  _still_  dealing with the Howlers, as you can see. It seems Sirius modified the traditional enchantment quite...  _significantly_. It is the work of a truly depraved mind."

Remus made a humming sound then said mildly, "Well, I wouldn't say that's fair. He had some help. Sirius and I always do our best work together and nine thousand three hundred and thirty-seven Howlers are quite a lot for one person to make on their own. We were aiming for ten thousand originally but there just wasn't enough time…"

Albus went still. He understood the werewolf's meaning immediately but he sat there in stunned silence as Remus continued talking. Remus's tone was so bland it was hard to believe what he was saying. Then Remus stopped talking and he gave Albus a distinctly  _wolfish_  smile.

Albus was reminded that, while Remus had always been the most responsible and mature of the Marauders… he had  _still_  been a Marauder.

Albus dropped any pretense of friendliness and he insisted harshly, " _Tell_   _me_  you do not know what Harry is! Not  _you_ , Remus! You are far too intelligent to be so foolish!"

Remus's expression hardened with an obstinance that infuriated Albus. He replied coolly, "I know and I don't care. I'm a  _werewolf_ , Albus, and I'm starting to think that's not such a bad thing to be either. Harry and I have a lot in common."

Albus had counted on Remus's stalwart self-hatred but now he was having to reevaluate. Perhaps it was inevitable for the monster inside of Remus to eventually win out against the man. The monster in Remus undoubtedly appreciated the monster that called itself Harry.

Albus  _hated_  feeling his carefully cultivated control slip away from him like this, like sand through a sieve. He had worked all his life for the power he had now. He had killed for it. He had imprisoned the only man he had ever loved for it. He had  _earned_  it.

His power was all that he had and he begrudged every meager bit taken from him.

He decided to ignore the ongoing Howler incident for now and he attempted a tone of fatherly concern, "Remus… you must guard your soul against the evil of your condition. Have you been taking you potions?"

Remus narrowed his eyes insolently, "No, Albus, I haven't. I don't need them any longer. Harry has been acting as a mediator for me and my wolf. He is helping us understand each other better."

Albus slammed his hands down on the desk and shouted, "The Void is  _manipulating_  you, Remus!"

Remus jerked backwards and stared at him with wide eyes, startled by the outburst. Those amber eyes quickly narrowed once more and his lip curled ever so slightly, in a silent snarl.

"Isn't that what  _you_  are trying to do right now?" Remus demanded. "You've been wrong about werewolves all this time. You made me think I was a monster. I am  _not_."

"MANIPULATIVE OLD WINDBAG!" Shrieked a rogue Howler as it skittered across the wall, knocking several paintings askew. The portraits of the former headmasters made their displeasure known through furious hand gestures and silent shouts.

Albus quickly destroyed it and forcefully smoothed his expression. He said, " _You_  are not a monster, but you  _do_  harbor one inside of you."

Remus shook his head in disagreement and Albus insisted sharply, "Yes, Remus! You cannot deny the truth of it! No matter what that Void has made you believe, he is not the Harry you loved. He doesn't have a monster inside of him like you, he  _is_  the monster. He can hear your every thought and feel your every emotion. He knows exactly how to act human and he acts very well… but he  _is_   _not_   _human_. He can only pretend so well because he is  _eating_  your soul, Remus! He is a threat to everyone he is close to!"

"If you truly believe that, what does it say about your character, that you are willing to keep him here in this school amongst defenseless children?" Remus argued angrily.

Albus pursed his lips then replied tightly, "It is a necessary risk. No one must know what he is because I need him in the war to come. I have him under control for now and I can prevent any loss of life. However, if you insist upon helping Sirius keep his guardianship, Harry  _will_  grow to be an unstoppable force. He  _will_  begin killing students and when he does, that will be Sirius's fault and  _your_  fault too."

"YOUR FACE IS ANNOYING! YOU THINK YOUR BEARD MAKES YOU LOOK WISE BUT YOU JUST LOOK LIKE A HORSE'S ASS!" This Howler was racing around the chandelier, setting it swinging wildly. It ripped itself to pieces and the shredded paper rained down like lackluster confetti.

Albus wondered just how many more Howlers were still laying in wait. He knew he was red in the face now but he could barely contain his anger any longer. This was supposed to be a serious conversation but the Howlers were making a mockery of him. Albus hated nothing more than being mocked.

Remus was chuckling now, with a markedly dark sort of humor. Albus glared at him, wondering if he could get away with  _hurting_  Remus. He could say the werewolf had attacked him and send Remus to Azkaban for a while. Only Sirius would believe otherwise and his word counted for  _nothing_  against Albus.

After a few days in Azkaban or maybe a few months, Remus wouldn't be laughing anymore.

Albus reminded himself that he needed to keep Remus close. If he was going to hurt Remus, it would need to serve a purpose. If he showed his hand too quickly, Remus would quit and Sirius would pull Harry from school.

It was best that they not believe him a threat, so, he would have to swallow his pride for now an allow them this small victory. It was still possible that he could win them over and if he could then he should. Remus and Sirius were both powerful wizards. They would be valuable allies in the war to come, if they could be convinced to fight for him again.

Remus rose to his feet while Albus was thinking.

"I think we've both said all there is to say," Remus remarked offhandedly. "There is no point in continuing this conversation. If you don't leave my family alone, we'll leave this country and we won't return until you're deceased."

"YOU'RE WASHED UP, OLD MAN! YOU'RE A POLITICAL HAS-BEEN! A RELIC OF TIMES LONG SINCE PASSED! YOU'RE NOT EVEN DEAD YET AND PEOPLE ARE ALREADY FORGETTING ABOUT YOU! YOUR SO-CALLED LEGACY IS TRASH!"

It took Albus a while to find the Howler this time and by the time he'd spotted it and lit it on fire, Remus was long gone. Without anyone but portraits to see, Albus's face twisted with rage and he lit his  _entire office_ on fire.

His hands were tied for now, but only for now. Perhaps it was time to take another look at current legislation regarding magical creatures.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm very sorry for the long wait! I hope you enjoy the chapter!

**< > THIRD YEAR <>**

POTIONS CLASSROOM, HOGWARTS

Severus Snape watched Harry Potter as the boy attempted to follow the instructions he had written on the board. The boy was failing abysmally, as usual, but... it  _did not_ appear to be the result of negligence. 

Severus was reluctant to admit to himself that he had overlooked this in the past. He had been overly eager to assume that the boy was merely inept and he had entertained several possibilities. He had thought that perhaps Harry Potter did not care to try or that he was inattentive or even that he might be intentionally sabotaging his potions - because surely even an idiot could manage to succeed  _occasionally_ , if only by pure chance.

Potter was never successful though and now, of course, Severus knew why. The boy was fundamentally incapable of making successful potions on his own and any potion he assisted with always went awry as well.

There were many reasons that Muggles and Squibs couldn't make potions but the chief reason was that a magical aura was  _essential_  to the craft. Potter not only lacked a magical aura, he was the magical equivalent of a black hole.

Severus wondered how Potter managed to fly on a broom, because theoretically that should have been impossible for him as well. Severus hated being curious about anything related to Harry Potter, but lately he had been thinking about Potter far more frequently than he was comfortable admitting, even to himself.

To make matters worse, it was possible the boy  _knew_  it. Severus was always careful now to avoid encountering the boy alone or even in small groups.

Lucius had warned Severus against being cruel to the boy, but even Lucius had to admit that Severus had good reason to continue the pretense of animosity... and it  _was_  a pretense now.

Severus would have liked to carry on hating the boy but knowing that Potter was not  _actually_  a tiny James Potter took the satisfaction out of it. Severus put a lot of thought into terrorizing his students and Potter, in particular, but it was not any fun if the boy was not  _truly_ bothered by Severus's biting sarcasm and antagonistic remarks. Potter was not the easily angered child he pretended to be. He was a Void.

That knowledge forced Severus to re-evaluate Potter. The boy was quick to smile and make jokes whenever his little friends did. He made light of the assignments and groused under his breath about the professor, but his  _actions_  told a different story. Potter always followed the directions with painstaking care, similar to how Draco or Granger worked. However, Potter's results were nothing like Draco or Granger's and this seemed to genuinely frustrate the boy.

Severus had seen the true Potter through Lucius's eyes, in the Malfoy pensieve over the winter break, but it was still difficult for Severus to see past Potter's skillful acting.

It was almost impossible to imagine that this scrawny, surly boy would be Lucius's long-awaited mate. The boy was actually a thousand years old though, so maybe it was Lucius who would be the inferior one of the pair. It was borderline absurd.

Potter added a pinch of powdered asphodel root, exactly as directed, but instead of brightening in color, the potion darkened and gurgled ominously. It was fascinating really, because Harry was working alone and he shouldn't have even been able to affect the potion at all,  _but he was._  It was as if he was a regular wizard who had merely performed the step incorrectly. Severus couldn't figure out how the boy was doing it.

If a muggle or a squib had tried, nothing would have happened at all - the ingredients had magical properties, yes, but the resulting concoction would be a rather nasty soup and nothing more. Potter was creating a magical potion but it was of very poor quality even though he appeared to be following the directions to the letter.

Severus didn't  _want_  to be so curious, but he was. After several weeks of thinking about Potter's oddities, Severus was no closer to solving the puzzle than he had been at the beginning.

That was what provoked Severus to break his own rule and tell Potter to speak to him after class. Potter, predictably, glared at him but stayed silent. For appearances's sake, Severus took five points from Gryffindor anyways – citing Potter's unsightly potion as the reason.

Potter went red in the face and gritted out, "That's not fair! I did everything right!"

Potter's anger seemed so genuine that Severus wondered if it actually was. Severus took another five points from Gryffindor anyways, for the backtalk. This exchange offended Weasley's sense of justice and the redhead tried to defend his friend.

Severus gave them both detention with Filch.

He caught Draco's disapproving stare as he turned away from Weasley and Potter. He knew Draco was protective of his new friend. The child would likely have some harsh words for him about it, next time they had tea together. For now though, Severus ignored his godchild.

Potter remained seated after class was dismissed, glaring at a fixed point on the wall. Ron patted his shoulder commiseratingly and said, "We'll wait for you outside, mate."

Potter nodded and gave the redhead a strained smile, "Thanks, Ron. See you soon."

"Don't let him get to you, eh?"

When the door closed, Severus was very aware that this was the first time he had been alone with Potter since before Christmas. The boy was likely listening to his thoughts even now. There was absolutely nothing Severus could do to stop him so he tried to ignore it and remain calm. He did not want Potter to know how unsettled he was.

Potter's face was blank now and his unreadable gaze was fixed patiently on Severus, without a trace of his usual scorn or distaste. Severus had only seen that expression on Potter's face in the pensieve and it was rather…  _eerie_.

"I would like to speak to you about your performance in my class, Potter."

Potter frowned slightly and cast a forlorn look at the mess in his cauldron, "I'm aware that I'm terrible at potions and I haven't made much progress, but I  _am_  trying, sir."

Potter's tone was subdued and unmistakably respectful. He had  _never_  spoken to Severus in that way before. Potter fiddled with the potions supplies on his desk and he was avoiding Severus's eyes now. Severus was surprised to realize that Potter was  _embarrassed_ about his poor performance.

Severus allowed himself a moment to process this revelation then he said, "It should be impossible for someone without an aura to make magical potions or fly on a broom, yet you do. How?"

It was less of an observation and more of an accusation, less of a question and more of a demand.

Potter glanced at him searchingly, as if trying to read his face. Only, a Void would have no need to attempt to read  _anyone's_  face, so Severus thought that perhaps Potter was reacting to something he had learned from Severus's thoughts instead. However, Severus resolved to continue to talk to Potter as if the boy did not know his thoughts. It was  _slightly_  easier to tolerate it if he pretended it was not happening.

It was a small and entirely unexpected mercy that the boy seemed to be making an attempt to respect his wishes by not alluding to Severus's thoughts.

"It isn't the same thing, sir," Potter replied. "Auras affect potions significantly more than brooms. I am able to use a wand and a broom is just a larger version of a wand."

Potter paused then added glumly, " _Potions_  are another matter entirely."

There was no other witch or wizard in the world who would  _ever_  say a broom was merely a larger version of a wand, Severus thought, with some amusement. He suspected that the way Potter used magic was fundamentally different than how normal witches and wizards did.

Severus couldn't stop himself from questioning, "In what way?"

"The potions ingredients!" Harry exclaimed immediately. "Nearly all of them have their own unique magical properties but it's their interactions with auras that activate those properties! The chopping and dicing and squeezing and shredding - for normal people that's all it is, but those sorts of physical actions provoke unique and nearly imperceptible alterations in the magical properties of the ingredients."

Potter's agitation was rapidly increasing and he threw up his hands suddenly, "All of  _you_  do this unconsciously and instinctively and somehow it just  _works_  for you. I have to try to consciously mimic you but I don't have that kind of knowledge! It's like you all have knives while I'm stuck with a troll's club!"

Potter slammed his palm onto the table loudly, causing a couple of unused newt's eyes to roll off the table and plop wetly onto the floor. Potter grabbed one in his hand and glared at it, as if it had personally offended him. He gritted out angrily, "To make matters  _worse_ , if I can  _manage_  to activate the specific magical properties of the ingredients that I  _suspect_  are needed for the potion, there's usually so little magic in them that half of the time I end up accidentally  _eating_  it before I can even use it in the potion I'm trying to make! I have to try not to  _touch_  any of it directly but that's not bloody possible, is it?"

Severus was only briefly confused by Potter's strange use of the word 'eating' in relation to potions ingredients. He would need to remember to keep Potter well away from the ingredient storeroom in the future, to protect the potency of the ingredients.

Granted, Severus was not sure about most of Potter was saying, but it  _sounded_  as if Potter needed to be able to understand the specific and minuscule magical interactions between the ingredients in order to replicate them. Potter might be talking about a highly advanced level of magical theory. If Potter could actually see and understand these interactions, even if only in a small or abstract way, then Potter might be extremely useful in Severus's _own_  research endeavors.

At that moment, Potter's eyes brightened and he smiled slightly. Severus immediately decided it was time to put his curiosity aside and get to the heart of the matter.

"I do not think you should take my class next year, Mr. Potter."

Potter appeared so crestfallen that Severus was actually surprised. He had thought the boy might be relieved but it was clear that Potter actually  _wanted_  to create potions, in spite of the difficulty and frustration. Severus was unexpectedly pleased.

Potter looked as if he wanted to argue but after a long pause the boy nodded and replied quietly, "Yes, sir."

Severus hadn't planned on giving Potter an explanation. He had somewhat satisfied his personal curiosity about Potter and he'd told Potter what he had meant to. He should have dismissed the boy, but instead he found himself saying, "It is not related to your abysmal performance."

Potter glanced up and then he seemed taken aback. Severus assumed that was because the boy knew what Severus was going to say next, but he continued on irregardless, "I cannot be seen treating you with any degree of kindness, but I no longer wish to treat you cruelly. The Malfoys are dear friends of mine and you are soon to be a part of their family. If you were to force Lucius to choose between you and myself, I know he would choose you. Therefore, I do not wish to continue the open hostilities between us."

Potter blinked once and then again, "Sir, I… I wouldn't ever…"

He stopped and then shook his head, appearing to be at a loss for words. Severus was somewhat relieved that Potter seemed to have not yet considered this course of action. It had been on  _Severus's_  mind ever since he had learned that Potter knew what he meant to Lucius. Potter being aware of the power he held over Lucius had changed things, in Severus's mind. If Potter truly hated Severus, then Potter could insist that the Malfoys cut ties with Severus.

Severus Snape was  _not_  a man with an excess of friends to spare.

"Sir…"

Severus was instantly offended by Potter's new tone of voice. The very last thing he needed in this world was the  _pity_  of James Potter's son, even if Harry Potter was not exactly  _Harry Potter._

It had been a mistake to speak to the boy alone. He'd fallen for Potter's act and he had foolishly revealed his weakness.

Potter did not say whatever he had been about to. He stopped briefly, then his furrowed brow smoothed and his expression became perfectly unreadable.

"What exactly... is stopping you from telling the world what I am, sir? Seems to me that you wouldn't need to worry about me then."

Severus gritted his teeth. He couldn't even tell himself it was tempting. If anything ever happened to Potter, it would  _destroy_  Lucius. Severus could not figure out what sort of point Potter was attempting to make by diverging from the topic.

Harry spoke again without waiting for Severus to form a reply, but his voice was gentler now, "It  _is_  relevant. You won't do it because Lucius is family to you. You act as if it would be easy for Lucius to turn his back on you, but he considers you family too. I think it would destroy him to turn his back on  _anyone_  he cares for."

Severus was silent and his body felt rigid. He unsuccessfully attempted to quell his rising panic. The ease and precision with which Potter read his thoughts was terrifying and he could not ignore it now. Nothing frightened Severus like vulnerability and with Potter, his secrets were laid bare.

"I can trust you to keep my secret because you care about Lucius," Harry continued. "You can trust me never to drive a wedge between you and the Malfoy family because I  _also_  care about Lucius. I wouldn't force Lucius to choose between you and me even if I hated you so much I couldn't stand the sight of you. That being said… I  _don't_  hate you. I don't even dislike you."

Surely…  _that_  couldn't be true? Severus had given Potter  _plenty_  of reasons to hate him.

A faintly rueful smile touched Potter's lips and he shrugged his thin shoulders, "I'm used to people hating me when they get to know what I am. People usually hate _you_ without ever bothering to get to know you. It's just as lonely either way, really. I don't pity you. I  _empathize_  with you."

Potter stood and put away his things in his bag then headed towards the door. He paused and looked back at Severus when he grabbed the door handle. He didn't say anything else though. Seconds later, he was gone.

There was a gentle-hearted monster wearing the skin of James Potter's child and strangely enough, he had managed to endear himself to Severus Snape.

[][][][][]

THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC

Lucius Malfoy's expression was one of cool disinterest as he listened to Albus Dumbledore but his nails were too sharp and they were cutting into the skin of his palms. His silver-grey eyes flicked to the other officials present, watching their reactions carefully. He was disturbed by how many of them seemed to favor Albus's proposal.

Albus had been neutral in the matter of blood purity for so long, Lucius had dared to hope he  _always_  would be. Time after time, a small majority had prevented stricter laws and regulations from passing. Now, Albus was suddenly throwing all of his support to the opposing side.

Albus was calling for  _blood testing_  to be required during the upcoming census. He was using phrases like 'preserving a record of our heritage for our children' and 'implementing affirmative action in hiring practices.'

It sounded good but it was decidedly  _not_. Lucius waited for the other shoe to drop and he didn't have to wait long.

"Currently, our Department of Magical Law Enforcement has no means of enforcing the breeding regulations which were instated to protect us all. We are doing our Aurors a grave disservice by failing to give them the tools they need to succeed. Right now, they must rely on witness statements and then, even with probable cause, they jump through hoops merely to obtain simple blood samples. For this reason, it is a very rare occurrence, for individuals to be caught in violation of breeding regulations. Periodic blood testing  _can_  be done responsibly and so, unless we are willing to change existing regulations and risk repeating the mistakes of our ancestors, we have a  _responsibility_  to assist our Aurors in upholding our laws."

Albus's speech was met with resounding applause - the sound of vigorous agreement.

Yet not  _everyone_  in the room agreed with Albus. Unbeknownst to most, there were many amongst them that had strongly mixed blood  _and_  were well aware of their lineage. Of course, none of them were bold enough to speak out, for fear of their blood being called into question.

Lucius knew he did not have the luxury of staying silent.

When the room finally quieted, Albus opened his mouth to speak again, but Lucius spoke first, smoothly cutting him off.

"None could argue that your intent is not pure, Albus," He began slowly and with a secret sort of irony that only Albus would understand. "However, there are good reasons that the breeding regulations are  _not_  strictly enforced in the way you have suggested. Requiring innocent citizens to give up samples of their blood is a violation of their basic rights. Also, there is not a which or wizard alive today without  _some_  creature blood in their veins. Where would you suggest the line be drawn? What percentage of creature blood would be acceptable to you? Or shall it be the  _type_  of creature blood that decides the sentence?"

Lucius rose to his feet and quickly spoke again before Albus could refute his words. "Perhaps a large fraction of those seated amongst us today have some small measure of illegal creature blood running through their veins - blood they are unawares of. How many of us can confidently state their true lineage past three generations? Past six generations? Further? How many law-abiding citizens, who are currently productive members of society, will be punished for the crimes of their distant ancestors or even their parents? How exactly shall they be punished? Shall they be tagged like animals or branded? Caged and enslaved? Or merely culled from the flock in the dead of night? Your-"

It was Albus who interrupted now, using a disapproving and affronted tone, " _That_  is barbaric savagery and absolutely ridiculous to even  _speak_  of in this forum-!"

" _Which_  is why  _your_  sort of proposal has never been seriously considered and why it  _should_   _not_ be considered now. Once we start down this road, I believe we would make for ourselves a nation that will be looked down upon by the other civilized nations of this world. I  _pray_  to never see the day where our great nation is ruined by our _fear of blood."_

Lucius watched Albus's jaw clench. It was almost imperceptible - hidden as it was beneath his excessively long beard - but Lucius had been looking for  _any_  sign of weakness. Lucius turned his attention to his audience, as if he were speaking to a group of friends rather than a juxtaposition of bitter political rivals and strategic allies.

"No one likes to speak of it today but our ancestors knew that, as a rule, creature blood makes our people magically strong and muggle blood makes us weaker," Lucius continued on, pressing his advantage. "Surely _no one_  would suggest that we punish every  _squib_  born because they have no more magic than a muggle. I will concede that a few mistakes were made in the past, by breeding with certain dark creatures, but we have  _learned_  from those mistakes. Ultimately, we are as strong as we are today  _because_  of our ancestors."

Lucius returned his gaze to Albus, pinning him with a stern look. "If a witch or a wizard is appears physically human and is able to breed with other humans, then that is enough to prove their blood is more human than other. If a human presents  _slightly_  altered physical characteristics consistent with a magical creature which is currently legal to breed with, that is also acceptable. No more than that is needed for our Aurors to enforce existing laws. There is no need to complicate matters unnecessarily."

Albus's expression was one he wore often - one of grandfatherly concern. He looked at Lucius as if Lucius was a child who did not know what he was talking about. Of all the things that irritated Lucius about Albus, it was  _that_  expression that he found the most irksome.

Albus gave an deliberately long and - in Lucius's opinion -  _unforgivably_  overdramatic sigh and said, "There is no proof that creature blood strengthens our magical blood. All studies ever done on the subject are biased and contradictory. What  _is_  known is that our people cannot maintain biological diversity by having children only with other witches and wizards. The older families have tried this and many, like  _yours_ , Lucius, have inbred themselves into obscurity. Your family has been so selective that you and your child are the last of your bloodline."

That was a point Lucius could not argue and Lucius tasted bitterness on his tongue.

Albus's blue eyes glittered with malice as he added, "If our only option for increasing our population and maintaining biological diversity is a choice between muggle humans and magical creatures… Well, isn't the choice a simple one? We would be best served by breeding with those  _like us_. We are humans first and foremost and the muggles not only outnumber us, but are technologically superior to us. Our magic will endure as strong as it always has. I have read the signs and I see for us a future where humans have the best of magic  _and_  technology at their disposal."

The crowd murmured amongst themselves and shifted. Lucius raised his voice above the noise, "Whenever the muggles become aware of our existence, they seek to take our power for their own and become  _magical_  like us! When they inevitably fail, they seek to destroy us. They fear us because they do not understand us and because they are inherently weaker than us, as individuals. Magic is far superior to technology and always has been. Who would choose technology when they could have magic instead?"

Lucius shook his head derisively and answered his own question, " _No one!_ There are too many muggles and if we tried to breed exclusively with them for the sake of some future generation who might be able to enjoy both magic  _and_  technology… That future would  _never_  come. Their non-magical blood would dilute our own further and further until eventually  _no_  human would be magical. Your vision for humanity's future is naive, Albus, and by pursuing it you risk ruining us all. The muggles alive today are fundamentally incapable of using magic and they would be too jealous of our magic to ever truly accept us. It has happened too many times already throughout our history."

"The muggles alive today are more open-minded than any previous generation!" Albus insisted. "However, if we continue to breed with magical  _creatures_ , the muggles will certainly grow to see us as a species  _other_  than human. For the sake of future generations, we must enforce breeding regulations and we must strengthen our ties to our non-magical  _but_   _human_  brothers and sisters. If we are ever to have a future where we need not live in fear of the muggles, then we cannot cling to old ways! We  _must_  assimilate!

"You are ignoring the lessons of our past and you are inventing problems where there are none, Albus," Lucius replied harshly, with anger he did not seek to conceal. "Strict enforcement of breeding regulations will only further divide our people and leave us vulnerable to  _extermination_  by the muggles you would see us assimilate with!"

The crowd's opinion swung back and forth, like a pendulum. The leaning still seemed to be more in Albus's favor, unfortunately. Not as much of a majority as before Lucius had spoken, but  _still_  a majority, if only just.

Before Albus had chosen a side in this divisive topic, Lucius's opposition had had no leader that could match him in influence. This sudden and unexpected change was a truly disastrous turn of events. There would be far-reaching consequences for a  _very_  long time to come.

[][][][][]

GRYFFINDOR TOWER, HOGWARTS

Harry frowned as he read Lucius's latest journal entries about the risk of mandatory blood samples during the upcoming census. For the past few months, they had rarely spoken of anything else. Lucius thought that if Albus succeeded he would use this new legislation as a stepping stone for implementing even stricter breeding regulations.

Harry had no idea why Albus had suddenly decided to focus on  _this_ , of all things. Albus had been careful to stay  _far_  away from Harry ever since Christmas so Harry had not had an opportunity to read the man's thoughts.

Sirius and Remus had not shared many details with Harry about their plans for Albus, but Lucius had told Harry what he knew and Harry had seen the aftermath.

 _Everyone_  within Hogwarts had seen the aftermath.

Sirius and Remus had charmed thousands of Howlers and set them after Albus. The vicious red letters had made their way out of the Headmaster's Office and now the castle was thoroughly infested. The letters liked to stage surprise attacks - often during meals in the Great Hall and  _always_  when Albus attempted to address his students and staff.

In public, Albus dealt with the attacks with calm forbearance but Harry thought the gleam in his eyes was a touch too bright these days and there were dark circles under his eyes - as if the Howlers were interfering with his sleep as well. He appeared every year of his advanced age and his cheerful smiles were few and far between.

Lucius had helped Sirius alter his Last Will and Testament. He assured Harry that there was currently nothing Albus could do, legally, to gain custody of Harry.

He also told Harry that he had spoken with Sirius and Remus about getting Harry emancipated. The sooner Harry was a legal adult, the safer he would be. Harry expected Sirius and Remus to bring up the topic when he went home for the summer.

Harry knew that Sirius and Remus were set on terrorizing Albus and making him appear insane, by  _literally_  driving him insane. Harry couldn't blame either of them for wanting to dole out their special brand of vengeance against Albus, but Harry feared that Albus would succeed in passing the new laws long before he broke down in front of an audience.

There was no possibility that the mandatory blood sampling or any future breeding regulations would affect Harry himself - his existence couldn't get anymore illegal than it already was but physically, he was just as human as Lilly or James Potter had been.

No, Harry's greater concern was how Albus's agenda would affect Lucius, Draco, and Remus. Sometimes he worried that Remus and Sirius were pushing Albus too far. Harry didn't want to believe that Albus would attempt to change the laws of Wizarding Britain merely for the sake of some plot to hurt Sirius and Harry through Remus. If that was his only motivation, that would have certainly been madness.

Harry knew Albus relatively well. Albus's sanity was somewhat debatable but the man was highly intelligent. Albus  _had_  to have a greater plan. Harry and Lucius just didn't know what it was. They could speculate all they wanted, but if Lucius couldn't stop Albus from passing this new legislation, then it wouldn't matter even if they guessed right.

Lucius had already brought up the possibility that they all might be forced to leave the country. Harry was visiting the Malfoys in Romania this summer with Sirius and Remus, but it might soon become a permanent vacation for all of them.

**< > END OF THIRD YEAR <>**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UPDATE: I'm sorry for the long wait everyone! We added a beautiful new husky dog to our family. She is a sweet girl but she loves to chew and she destroyed my computer charger. It was the only charger I had and I couldn't find a replacement in-store.
> 
> Anyways, it was expensive to replace and it took a long time to have it shipped to me. The first order was damaged in transit and had to be returned to the sender before I received a refund. Then I had to re-order the charger and wait for the shipment to arrive, again.
> 
> I have a few chapters written but they need to be edited. I will try to post soon! Thank you very much for your patience.


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